Are you risking dementia?

New research shows there may be a better reason than ever to lose weight, doctors have discovered a link between excess abdominal fat and dementia.

According to a new study, people in their forties, with larger stomachs and excess abdominal fat, have an increased risk of developing dementia when they reach their seventies.

Dr. Lee Kaplan, an obesity specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, did not work on the study, but since more than 150 million Americans are overweight or obese, he calls the research very important.

Studies have found that people who were overweight and had a large belly, were nearly two and a half times more likely to suffer dementia than people with a normal body weight. People who were big bellied and obese were more than three and a half times at risk.

There are currently more than 60 diseases associated with obesity and for many of them it is thought if you reverse the obesity, you can reduce the chances of developing something.

Lifestyle changes that include eating more fruits and vegetables and more mental and physical exercise can all reduce the risk of becoming obese.