Study Shows Eating Trans fats May Increase Risk of Dementia – NDTV Food

_{These associations remained significant even after adjustment for dietary factors.}

Eating trans fats may up the risk of dementia, a condition which tends to impair your cognitive ability and interferes with daily functioning. Marked by partial memory loss, the condition is commonly witnessed in elderly population. The relations between trans fatty acids and dementia were investigated by a latest Japanese study and had some startling revelations. According to the study published in the journal Neurology, people with higher levels of trans fats in their blood may be 50% to 75% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

For the study, over 1,600 Japanese men and women without dementia were followed over a 10-year period. Participants’ blood test for trans fat levels was done at the start of the study. Their diets were also analysed in detail.

The researchers demonstrated that there are negative ‘brain/cognitive’ outcomes, in addition to the known cardiovascular outcomes, that are related to a diet with high content of trans fats.
For accurate results, researchers also adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.

It was revealed that participants who consumed diet rich in trans fats were more likely to develop dementia than those with the lowest levels. During the follow-up, 377 participants developed some type of dementia. Higher serum elaidic acid levels were significantly associated with greater risk of developing all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease after adjustment for traditional risk factors, the study revealed.

These associations remained significant even after adjustment for dietary factors, including total energy intake and consumption of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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