Memory Yet another reason to stay in shape: researchers from Kent State University, US, have found a link between weight loss and improvement in memory and concentration.
The lead study author, Professor John Gunstad had noticed that patients being considered for bariatric surgery (for obesity) often made similar mental errors. Wondering if this could be a symptom of being overweight, he decided to investigate whether excess weight/losing weight had an effect on memory.
Bariatric surgery involves reducing the amount of food that can be eaten – usually by reducing the size of the stomach (removing a section or constricting it with a gastric band).
The researchers analysed data from 150 study participants, 109 of whom were bariatric surgery patients, and 41 who were obese but did not have the surgery (the control group).
They tested all the participants prior to surgery, then at 12 weeks, and one year after. When they re-tested the participants, they found that the bariatric surgery patients had improved their memory recall and ability to concentrate just 12 weeks after surgery.
Although these patients showed impaired performance on cognitive testing prior to the surgery, their abilities were in the normal range after the operation.
The researchers suggest that being obese might affect the brain in different ways. Many obese people suffer with sleep apnoea, for example, which because it has adverse effects on sleep quality could affect mental alertness. They also point out that with greater cardiovascular health, brain health also improves – so by losing weight, the brain also benefits.
Now the researchers plan to test people who have lost weight without surgery – through diet or exercise – to see if the effect is the same.
Bariatric surgery may be offered to individuals with a BMI of more than 40 pr more than 35 with other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure. Any individual undergoing the surgery will have to have tried other methods of weight loss.
First published April 21, 2011