Study Connects Overeating and Memory Loss

A new study from the American Academy of Neurology warns that overeating may harm more than just our bodies.

The study, which had 1233 participants between the ages of 70 and 89, concluded that people who eat between 2143 and 6000 calories per day are twice as likely to have Mild Cognitive Impairment as those who consume between 600 and 1526 calories per day.

MCI is a stage of memory loss that falls between the natural memory loss caused by aging and dementia or Alzheimer's, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The participants in the study answered a questionnaire about their daily caloric intake and were then divided into three equally sized groups based on these responses. At the end of the study, researchers found that the group eating the most had more than double the odds of having MCI as the group eating the smallest amount.

The numbers remained consistent after being adjusted for histories of stroke, diabetes, level of education and other factors that could contribute to memory loss.

Yonas Geda, the study's author, commented that "cutting calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age."

The study was conducted entirely on residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting this April.