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| | Concerning the issue of depression, [[Atheism and suicide|atheists do have higher rates of suicide than the general population.]] For more information please see: [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]. | | Concerning the issue of depression, [[Atheism and suicide|atheists do have higher rates of suicide than the general population.]] For more information please see: [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]. |
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| − | === Obesity and Alzheimer's disease ===
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| − | ''See also:'' [[Obesity and Alzheimer's disease]]
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| − | [[File:PET Alzheimer.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|A PET scan of the brain of an individual with Alzheimer's disease reveals a loss of function in the [[Temporal lobes|temporal lobe]].]]
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| − | In 2005, WebMD published:
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| − | {{cquote|People with diabetes are at particularly high risk of [[Alzheimer's disease]]. But now there's strong evidence that people with high [[insulin]] levels -- long before they get diabetes -- already are on the road to Alzheimer's disease.
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| − | As the body becomes more and more overweight, it becomes more and more resistant to the blood-sugar-lowering effects of insulin. To counter this insulin resistance, the body keeps making more insulin...
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| − | '''Insulin Triggers Amyloid Buildup'''
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| − | High insulin levels are known to cause [[blood vessel]]s to become inflamed....
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| − | One dangerous effect of this insulin-caused brain inflammation is increased brain levels of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is the twisted protein that's the main ingredient in the sticky plaques that clog the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
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| − | "What was striking was the magnitude of the effect," Craft tells WebMD. "Inflammation can be a result of amyloid elevations but can also create an environment in which amyloid is made more readily. Inflammation can be both the result and cause of amyloid production."<ref>[http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/20061101/obesity-alzheimers-risk Obesity and Alzheimer's: High Insulin Levels Linked to Alzheimer's]</ref>}}
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| − | A 2009 health report on a medical study indicated:
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| − | {{cquote|They compared the brain scan of 94 people in their 70s who were obese & overweight. They found that the obese had lost tissue in the frontal & temporal lobes areas critical for planning & memory. Declines were also seen in areas used for attention & executive functions, long term memory & movement
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| − | A neurologist Professor Paul Thompson said, “That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain. But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer's if you can eat healthily and keep your weight under control.”M<ref>[http://thehealthage.blogspot.com/2009/08/obese-people-are-more-at-risk-to.html Obese people are more at risk of Alzheimer’s]</ref>}}
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| | === Health effects of Alzheimer's disease === | | === Health effects of Alzheimer's disease === |