New study links muscle loss to higher dementia risk

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SYDNEY, Sept. 16 (Xinhua/UNB) -- Losing musce mass as people age could be an important warning sign for dementia risk, new Australian-led research has found.

Researchers analyzed more than 80 studies examining links between body weight, body fat, muscle health and dementia, finding that people with sarcopenia had a 42 percent higher risk of dementia, according to a statement released Wednesday by Australia's Curtin University.

Sarcopenia is a condition where people lose a greater amount of muscle mass, strength and physical function, often as they get older, according to the study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.

The study also found that the relationship between obesity and dementia depends on age: People with obesity in middle age, or before 65, had a 9 percent higher risk of dementia, while obesity among people aged 65 and over was linked to a 17 percent lower dementia risk, but researchers cautioned against interpreting the finding as a benefit of gaining weight.

The findings showed a complex relationship between body weight, ageing and dementia, with more long-term research needed to understand whether low muscle mass and excess body fat together increase dementia risk, said corresponding author Professor Mario Siervo from Curtin's School of Population Health.

Lead researcher Uraiporn Booranasuksakul from Thailand's Burapha University said body weight alone did not fully reflect dementia risk, with muscle strength and function also important as people age.

The researchers from Australia, Britain, Canada, Thailand and Italy said the findings reinforced the importance of taking a life-long approach to maintaining healthy body composition, including maintaining muscle strength and function as people get older.