High body mass index bad for your brain

A higher body mass index, or BMI, can negatively impact cognitive functioning in older adults, researchers have found out.

Higher BMI may lead to increased inflammation which can negatively impact brain function and cognition, the researchers explained.

“The higher your BMI, the more your inflammation goes up,” said lead author of the study Kyle Bourassa from University of Arizona in the US.

The researchers analysed data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, which includes over 12 years’ worth of information on the health, well-being and social and economic circumstances of the English population age 50 and older.

Using two separate samples from the study researchers looked at ageing adults over a six-year period.