Month: January 2018

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Is Midlife Obesity an Alzheimer Disease Risk Factor?

There are many detrimental effects a person can experience from being overweight or obese and new studies find that they may be potential contributors to the development of Alzheimer’s later in life.

There is particularly strong evidence for midlife obesity as a risk factor for AD [Alzheimer Disease]. A cross-sectional study published in Obesity found an inverse relationship between BMI and cognitive function among healthy late middle-aged adults, and various observational studies have reported that obesity in midlife increased the risk for late-life dementia.4 In research recently published in JAMA, high BMI in midlife was the only midlife vascular risk factor that demonstrated a significant association with increased late-life brain amyloid deposition (odds ratio, 2.06).5 (Source: Obesity and Alzheimer Disease: Exploring Risk Modification)

Learn more about these studies and their findings, including direct reference links to individual studies, in the full article here: “Obesity and Alzheimer Disease: Exploring Risk Modification.”

 

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Midlife Women Gain Sexual Wisdom

Although most would likely think of the menopausal transition when considering the effects of aging on a women’s sexual function as they enter midlife and beyond, and the negative associations with that transition, there can be positive benefits for women due to their life experiences and how they adapt to their changing bodies and lives. A new study took that premise as their focus, learn more:

Midlife, which is defined as 40 to 60 years old, can bring physical, psychological, social and partner-related changes… [that] may lead to negative changes in sexual function for some women. Additional contributing factors such as career, financial and family stress, and concerns about changing body image, may add to decreased frequency of sex, a low libido and orgasm difficulties. However, not all changes are negative.

The positive psychological changes aging brings—such as decreased family concerns, increased self-knowledge and self-confidence, and enhanced communication skills in the bedroom—may lead to improvements in sexual satisfaction with aging. (Source: With midlife comes sexual wisdom—research shows women’s sexuality adapts with aging)