Obesity significantly accelerates the onset of Alzheimer’s, according to a new study

Madrid. — A recent scientific analysis has revealed that Obesity could considerably accelerate the biological development of Alzheimer’s, by speeding up the appearance of its biological markers in the blood. The study, conducted by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine and presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), analyzed over five years more than 400 people using brain images (PET) and blood tests. The results show that, in individuals with obesity, the biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s — such as plasma levels of pTau217 and NfL — increased between 29 % and 95 % faster than in people with a healthy weight. In addition, the accumulation of amyloid plaques and other brain signs of the disease also progressed more rapidly.

Although in very early stages patients with obesity presented lower levels of some blood markers —which could reflect a dilution due to a greater blood volume—, the long-term pattern was clear: the pathology progresses more rapidly when obesity coexists.

The authors of the study warn that these findings underscore the importance of considering obesity as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Controlling overweight could be key to reducing the incidence of dementia or delaying its onset.