Healthy Heart in Youth may Keep Cognitive Abilities Strong Later in Life

Statistics show that childhood obesity in the United States has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, putting many at an increased risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. To make matters worse, a recent study shows that higher levels during childhood and adolescence can potentially lower cognitive function in mid-life.

"We know these risk factors are important later in life but what is new is that they seem to be important for cognitive health even going from young to mid adulthood," said lead author Dr. Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco, via Reuters Health. "This is the first time anyone has shown this."

Researchers from the University of California-San Francisco completed a 25-year study on 3,381 individuals, all 18-to 31-years old with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels slightly higher than the American Heart Association's recommended guidelines. Findings showed that many individuals typically scored lower on cognitive function tests in their 40s and 50s than those with healthier levels from the study.

"It's amazing that as a young adult, mildly elevated cardiovascular risks seem to matter for your brain health later in life," said Kristine Yaffe, M.D., study author and a neuropsychiatrist, epidemiologist and professor at the University of California-San Francisco, via redorbit.com. "We're not talking about old age issues, but lifelong issues."

Researchers note that this is one of the first comprehensive long-term studies to examine heart disease and stroke risk factors and how these issue can affect cognitive function later in life.

However, they conclude that the findings overall bring a hopeful message regarding new possibilities into early preventative treatments for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia when controlling certain health factors.

What do you think?

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Circulation.