The younger a person is when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the more likely he or she is to develop dementia The added risk begins in the 40s and is higher for people with obesity Scientists are working to understand the link WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A type 2 diabetes diagnosis before age 50 comes with a health risk that patients might not expect. Especially if they are obese, these folks are more likely to develop dementia later, new research warns.
"Our study suggests that there may be a cognitive consequences to earlier onset type 2 diabetes, and it points to the need for strategies to prevent dementia that consider both diabetes and obesity," said first study author Xiang Qi , an assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, in New York City. Type 2 diabetes used to be a disease of older adults. These days, 1 in 5 people around the world with type 2 diabetes are under the age of 40.
In type 2, patients don't use insulin properly. Sometimes, their pancreas is also not making enough insulin to keep their blood sugar levels within a normal range. While it's not clear why type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for diabetes, scientists speculate that high blood sugar, inflammation and other markers of the disease may foster brain decline.
"Prior studies show that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in mid-life may experience more vascular complications, poor blood sugar control and insulin resistance — all of which are known risk factors for cog.