Fat Weighs Heavy on the Brain

Obesity, or being extremely overweight, isn't problematic only because of the extra pounds. The condition also boosts a person's risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Now research indicates that obesity also leads to problems with memory, thinking and reasoning. The good news, an international team of scientists reports, is that the damage may be undone through weight loss. Earlier studies had connected obesity-related diseases to cognitive problems. The word cognitive comes from cognition, which refers to the brain processes involved in gathering, analyzing and using information. In the previous studies, people with heart disease or high blood pressure--diseases strongly tied to obesity--scored lower on memory, thinking and reasoning tests than did people who didn't weigh as much.