Overeating may double your risk of developing memory problems, according to new research. The more calories adults between the ages of 70 and 89 ate, the higher their risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), with those who ate between 2,100 and 6,000 calories a day twice as likely to develop memory problems.
MCI is the medical term for mild memory loss, and while it isn’t always serious enough to vastly interfere in their daily lives, it can lead to dementia.
The study included more than 1,200 people between the ages of 70 and 89, including 163 with symptoms of MCI. Participants recorded their diets in the following years. One-third ate between 600 and 1,526 calories per day, one-third ate between 1,526 and 2,143, and one-third ate between 2,143 and 6,000 calories per day. The results also took into account other factors including age, sex, education level, history of stroke, and depression.
What the experts are saying:
“This fits into what we know about midlife risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, associate director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in New York. “We know that obesity increases risk for Alzheimer’s, and we know that caloric restriction decreases risk for Alzheimer’s, so the overeating story fits well.”
Experts advice cutting calories and exercising on a regular basis. David Loewenstein, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine advises:
“If you cut calories and replace empty calories with nutritious foods, your risk for brain disease and heart disease are reduced significantly. More and more research has shown that anything that is good for the heart is good for the brain, and when people overeat, there are complications including risk for diabetes, stroke, and memory problems.”
More research needs to be done on the topic, but it’s still in the best interest of everyone – young or old – to keep their daily calorie count under control. Unless you’re a serious athlete, no one should be eating 6,000 calories a day.
