Researchers at the National Institute of Ageing have published the results of their study exploring the relationship between weight at midlife and Alzheimer’s Disease.

In their study they found that being obese or overweight at midlife (at age 50) may put people at increased risk of developing early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. They found that for each unit of increase in BMI at age 50 accelerated onset of Alzheimer’s by nearly 7 months in those who developed the condition.

Although more work is needed to confirm this relationship between body weight and Alzheimer’s, this work suggests that maintaining a healthy weight could be an option for delaying the development of Alzheimer’s.