Healthy weight loss diet ‘can reduce dementia risk’

Eating a healthy and balanced diet that is commonly associated with weight loss can also help people to reduce their risk of developing dementia.

This is according to Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, who said that leading a healthy lifestyle in general could reduce the risk of the condition.

"We don't yet fully understand what causes dementia, but it's likely to be a complex mix of genetics and environmental factors, such as diet, lifestyle and exercise," he said.

Dr Ridley's comments follow the publication of research by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, which revealed that middle-aged adults who could do with losing weight have an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.

The expert went on to say that scientists are making "real progress" in unravelling the causes of dementia, which will lead to an increased chance of developing treatments for the condition.

Do you eat a healthy and balanced diet?