Obesity, smoking key triggers for Alzheimer's Disease, say experts

Obesity and smoking are key triggers for Alzheimers Disease said health experts on Monday stressing the need to control both especially in young adultsAlzheimerrsquos is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is a serious public health concernIt leads to memory loss cognitive decline and inability to perform daily tasksThe experts explained that obesity and smoking are the major risk factors for vascular dementia and can trigger Alzheimers owing to the inflammation caused due to smokingldquoSmoking damages blood vessels reducing blood flow to the brain which can harm brain cells Obesity is linked to inflammation and insulin resistance both detrimental to brain healthrdquo Dr Vikas Mittal pulmonologist at the CK Birla Hospital Delhi saidAlia Bhatt I avoid giving parenting advice as everyonersquos journey is differentCurbing the major risk factors are important as a recent study published in the journal The Lancet showed that global dementia cases are set to triple with 153 million living with dementia by 2050Alzheimers the most common cause of dementia accounting for 60 to 80 per cent of cases is also expected to soarldquoObesity also causes conditions like diabetes and cardiac disease which are known risk factors for Alzheimerrsquos The presence of these conditions worsens brain health while promoting inflammation oxidative stress and vascular damage which leads to memory decline and increase in Alzheimerrsquos Diseaserdquo Dr Anurag Saxena HOD and Cluster Head Neurosurgery Manipal Hospital Dwarka saidAdditionally obesity impairs metabolic functions and insulin signalling which increases the risk of neurodegenerationOn the other hand ldquosmoking worsens oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain which increases the development of AlzheimerrsquosldquoThe harmful chemicals in cigarettes like nicotine and tar damage blood vessels and interfere with blood flow Smoking can not only accelerate Alzheimerrsquos Disease but also other forms of dementiardquo Dr Anurag saidMoreover people with a family history of Alzheimerrsquos are more prone to the condition if they smokeThe combination and genetic factors and the effects of smoking increases the progress of Alzheimerrsquos symptoms the doctor notedDr Shailesh Rohatgi HOD Department of Neurology DPU Super Speciality Hospital at Pune said that he advised maintaining a balanced lifestyle and eating habits and keeping a constant check as vascular dementia can even develop at an early age due to various lifestyle habitsHe also stressed on ldquodaily activities which are not just limited to physical movement but also engaging the brain It is important to engage your brain in mental activities like board gamesrdquoAlso read Mental health experts share effective programs to foster inclusivity for LGBTQ students in schoolThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever