Boston: Attempting to lose weight in middle age (between 40 and 60 years of age) can create problems for people's brains, according to a new study.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine in the US found that losing weight in middle age increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease.


In this study, the team of researchers from the UNITED States and China analyzed data obtained from the Framingham Heart Study, in which people from the US state of Massachusetts were monitored for four decades.


The team measured the weight of these people every two to four years and compared the rate of loss, loss or stability to the rate of dementia.


The results of the research showed that older people who are overweight have a higher risk of weakening their brain capacity when they try to lose weight.

"After a sustained increase in weight (which is a common phenomenon with aging), if weight starts to decrease unexpectedly beyond middle age, it is better to consult your doctor and try to find out the reason," the study's author, Professor Rhoda from Boston University, said in a news release.


The research revealed further evidence that the onset of dementia lasts several years, possibly spread over the entire life of the patient.

About 10 percent of Americans aged 65 and older have dementia, while another 22 percent have minor mental problems, according to researchers at Columbia University.




Professor Rhoda said that the results of the study are also important because previous studies have not looked at weight gain, knee or stable style in terms of the likelihood of dementia.

Researchers found in the study that the declining trend in overall body mass index was associated with an elevated likelihood of developing dementia.