Studies show a worrying situation regarding the future of children. Those who have problems with body weight at an early age may have a not-so-pleasant future in adulthood.
Children who are obese are more prone to dementia decades later, according to a study begun in 1985 and recently completed.
Weaker young people have better cognitive outcomes
Reference research by Australian researchers has established the first significant links between childhood obesity and middle-aged cognitive ability, with the authors suggesting that this relationship may be linked to the risk of dementia. newatlas.com.
The study looked at subjects over a period of 30 years and found that a higher level of physical performance in childhood correlates with better knowledge in middle age and, by extension, indicates lifestyle interventions that can help protect against early dementia.
The research was conducted by scientists at Monash University in Melbourne and involved more than 1,200 subjects. In 1985, when the participants were between seven and 15 years old, the researchers assessed their level of fitness by measurements of cardiorespiratory performance, muscle strength and endurance, and waist-to-hip ratio.
Another round of assessments was conducted between 2017 and 2019, when the subjects were between 39 and 50 years old, this time with an emphasis on cognitive ability. This involved computerized tests of global attention, memory, and knowledge, which allowed scientists to learn some fascinating insights.
Scientists have found that those with the highest levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle performance and the lowest waist-to-hip ratio since 1985, when they were children, had a higher cognitive function when they reached middle age. According to the team, this is the first demonstration of such a connection and fuels our growing understanding of early-onset dementia and cognitive impairment later in life.
Research is beginning to focus on how changes in cognitive behavior can act as early warning signs for dementia, studies that reveal revealing signs in everything from driving behavior and habits. sleep during the day, until our susceptibility to depression . Studies have also shown how this age-related decline could be tracked by biological markers, including red blood cell counts and changes in the gut microbiome.
In light of this growing understanding of the relationship between knowing middle age and dementia, the authors of this new study believe that the findings suggest early childhood lifestyle interventions that may protect against cognitive decline and the risk of illness later in life ( in addition to the other health benefits of the active lifestyle).
“It is important that the study also indicates that strategies to protect against future cognitive decline may need to start early in childhood so that the brain can develop a sufficient reserve against developing conditions such as dementia in life. older, ”said Michele Callisaya, a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, the lead author of the study.
Gloomy anticipation: cases of dementia will triple
Dementia cases around the world will triple to over 150 million by 2050, researchers predict. Without any treatment Considered now, the only solution is to adopt a lifestyle that reduces the risk of obesity.
This refers to exercise, consumption of fatty fish, fruits and legumewhile reducing fatty and sugary foods.
The study published in Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport it is a world premiere because it lasted for many years and established a link between childhood and old age.
Unfortunately, we currently have high rates of childhood obesity, from one in 10 obese children in the first year of school to one in 7 children.
More than 920,000 Britons suffer from dementia – a figure that will rise to two million in the next three decades, experts estimate.
In the United States, one-fifth of children and adolescents between the ages of two and 19 are obese.
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. It is estimated to increase to 1.5 million by 2040.
Current estimates suggest that approximately 5.8 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease and associated dementia
When the decline begins
The decline can begin as early as middle age, said Professor Callisaya. Poor performance has been associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia in old age.
It is known that those who develop muscle strength in childhood and increased endurance due to sport are healthier later in adult life than those who do not have these skills.
Better physical fitness in adults is also associated with better knowledge and a reduced risk of dementia later in life.
The idea is that metabolic and physical health in childhood can protect against dementia in our older years.
Health risks of obesity. Weight problems affect the body and mind
It has been known since ancient times that each part of the body is connected to the next in line: the thigh bone to the knee bone, the knee bone to the foot bone and so on. But one “part” of the body – the weight – is connected with virtually everything else. A healthy weight prepares the scene for the bones, muscles, brain, heart and others to play their role smoothly and effectively for many years, according to him harvard.edu.
Excess weight, especially obesity, diminishes almost every aspect of health, from reproductive and respiratory function to memory and mood. Obesity increases the risk of several debilitating and deadly diseases, including diabetesheart disease and some types of cancer.
It does this in a variety of ways, some as simple as the mechanical stress of carrying extra pounds and some involving complex changes in hormones and metabolism. Obesity decreases the quality and duration of life and increases the individual, national and global costs of healthcare.
The good news, though, is that weight loss can reduce some of the risks of obesity.
Losing only 5 to 10% of your body weight offers significant health benefits to obese people, even if they never reach their “ideal” weight.
What to do
“Get the kids moving!” is the urging of experts. Researchers suggest that those who are more active in childhood have better cognitive abilities in middle age and this could protect them from dementia.
Rates of childhood obesity have risen in recent decades. About a third of children are already fat by the time they start high school.
Weight gain in adults has been attributed to unhealthy diets and a sedentary lifestyle.
Being fit in childhood is believed to improve your health cardiovascularby keeping the blood vessels that nourish the brain in good condition.
This year’s figures show that the proportion of four- and five-year-olds who are obese has increased by 46% from 2019/20 to 2020/21.
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