Dementia and Alzheimer's disease linked to body proportions

U.S. researchers discovered another risk factor that increases chances of developing dementia.

Photo: Dementia and Alzheimer's disease linked to body proportions

The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore revealed that short arms and legs have a link to memory problems.

The observation of 2,798 people for an average of five years that included taking knee height and arm span measurements showed interesting results. The majority of the participants was white, with an average age of 72. By the end of the study, 480 had developed dementia.

Women with the shortest arm spans showed the tendency to be 50 percent more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease than women with longer arm spans. And the longer a woman's leg from floor to knee, the lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease was.

Researchers revealed that among men only a shorter arm span was linked with higher dementia risk.

The explanation of such a strange link lies in early life environment that means poor nutrition, thus leading to serious problems later in life.