Older women's memory problems can be reversed through weight loss
TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2013 09:56 AM

People have many reasons to eat right, exercise regularly and make their health a priority. After all, weight gain can lead to obesity, which is linked to a higher risk of cancer, stroke and depression, among other conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Past research has also found a connection between overweight individuals and memory problems. However, based on a study from researchers at Umea University in Sweden, older women's memory troubles can be corrected through weight loss.

"Our findings suggest that obesity-associated impairments in memory function are reversible, adding incentive for weight loss," said Andreas Pettersson, an Umea student who also served as the study's lead author.

In the study, the researchers worked with 20 overweight women with an average age of 61. These participants were then assigned one of two healthy weight loss diets for the next six months. Researchers also tested the women's episodic memory. At the conclusion of the study, it was found that women who lost weight experienced increased brain activity during memory encoding.

If overweight individuals did not have enough incentive to lose weight already, the results of this study should come as encouraging news. If people decide to slim down, they may want to take an IQ test to see if their cognitive abilities have been affected.