How Do Your Age and Diet Influence Your Thinking?

"At a certain point, older folks occasionally develop a penchant for making verbal slurs, mental stumbles, rambling speeches, and confusing responses. They often claim that they have no memory of making those misstatements; they might not be lying. They may be experiencing the most common consequences of advanced age coupled with chronic obesity due to a poor diet. Mind-wandering, confusion, and a reduced ability to organize and focus thoughts are classic early symptoms of dementia."

"Today, an overwhelming body of scientific evidence across a wide spectrum of medical disciplines strongly argues that obesity, particularly long-standing obesity in the elderly, impairs cognitive function and accelerates aging of the brain. One recent epidemiological study concluded that by the year 2050, the number of overweight or obese Americans will increase to above 50 percent. Even during the recent pandemic, obesity-related diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular failure, were still the greatest causes of death in the U.S."

"Recent studies have further defined the mechanisms by which excess body fat impairs cognitive function in the elderly. First, having too many fat cells leads to a condition of chronic, low-grade, body-wide inflammation. The presence of inflammation in the brain underlies both normal brain aging and dementia. Many laboratories around the world, including my own, have documented the mechanisms that underlie how excessive body fat impairs the function of the aging brain."

Obesity, especially long-standing in older adults, impairs cognitive function and accelerates brain aging. Excess adipose tissue produces chronic, low-grade, body-wide inflammation that extends to the brain and underlies both normal brain aging and dementia. Obesity raises levels of leptin, a fat-derived hormone involved in glucose, fat, and energy metabolism, which can actively impair brain function. Chronic venous insufficiency caused by obesity can further reduce brain perfusion and worsen cognition. Overweight and obesity prevalence is rising, increasing population risk. Weight loss in later life can still reduce inflammation and improve brain aging and cognitive outcomes.

Read at Psychology Today