Study of 4,523 links higher weight to longer dementia survival
Surprising news: a new study says people with dementia who are overweight or even obese might actually live longer than those at a normal weight.
Researchers from the US and Canada tracked 4,523 adults up to 20 years and found that higher body weight was linked to a lower risk of death among dementia patients, challenging what most of us assume about obesity.
Overweight linked to lower dementia mortality
Overweight folks had a 16% lower risk of dying compared with those with normal weight.
For people with mild obesity, the risk dropped by 27%, and for those in higher obesity categories, it was still 22% lower.
The study also factored in things like sex, educational level, race and ethnicity, smoking status, and other chronic health conditions.
While experts say more research is needed to figure out why this happens, these findings could change how we think about nutrition and care for people living with dementia.