Brain scans suggest link between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease

Study shows ‘importance of maintaining a healthy amount of fat mass throughout life’

A possible link between obesity and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease has been found by neuroscientists at the Australian National University in Canberra.

The researchers analysed brain scans from medical records for more than 20,000 men and women aged between 40 and 70 years. The study found a smaller volume of the hippocampus—a complex area of the brain responsible for learning and memory—among participants who were overweight or obese.