Posted Feb 5, 2009 A big middle in middle age may mean big
trouble for your older brain. Scientists studied more than 6,500
members of the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California health
plan for 36 years. The researchers measured each person’s
sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD). That’s the distance from your
back to the front of your belly (measured halfway between the
bottom of your ribs and the top of your pelvic bone). The risk
of dementia was 2.3 times higher in people who had a big belly
(SAD of at least 10 inches) and were overweight when they
entered the study than in those who had normal weight and a
smaller belly. Dementia was 3.6 times more likely in those who
had a big belly and were obese when they started the study.
People who were overweight or obese- but not bigbellied- were
1.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. Having
large thighs had no impact on the risk of dementia, regardless
of weight. What to do: Eat less, eat healthier foods, and move
more to lose- or avoid gaining- a big