Eating a high-fat, high-sugar diet can increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Ageing, combined with a high-fat and high-sugar diet, can result in increased inflammation and may contribute to the early development of Alzheimer’s disease, says a new study.
While ageing is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, a new study shows that obesity during middle age may contribute to the early development of the brain disorder, termed as the most common form of dementia. The results showed that ageing, combined with a high-fat and high-sugar diet, results in increased inflammation and stress in the hippocampus (responsible for long-term memory) and prefrontal cortex (responsible for complex cognitive, emotional and behavioural function).
Both the brain regions are thought to be involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.The study also revealed that certain areas of the brain respond differently to risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s. “These results add to our basic understanding of the pathways involved in the early progression of (Alzheimer’s) pathogenesis and demonstrate the negative effects of a HFS (high fat-sucrose) diet on both the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal regions,” said researcher Rebecca EK MacPherson, from the Brock University in Ontario, Canada.
Here are some of the other effects of such diets:
* Researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston found that eating a typical Western high-fat diet, such as cheeseburgers and fries, could make prostate cancer more aggressive and cause them to spread.
* A study done by the University of Surrey in England shows that even healthy men had increased levels of fat in their blood and fat stored in their livers after they consumed a high sugar diet. “Our findings provide new evidence that consuming high amounts of sugar can alter your fat metabolism in ways that could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Bruce Griffin, professor of nutritional metabolism at the University of Surrey in England.
* Experts also say that a diet that is high on sugar can lead to mood swings, acne, high blood pressure, and cavities.