Both actually. Research shows a link between obesity and diabetes and diabetes is related to Alzheimer's Disease. Obesity is associated with many types of cancer. Obesity is independently associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
Earlier this week, newscaster Brian Williams was discussing a study that adds to the evidence on the diabetes link with Alzheimer's Disease. In that study, (I did not catch the reference nor look it up), there was a dose effect so to speak. The sooner a person develops insulin resistance and diabetes the greater the chance of that person also "getting" Alzheimer's or AD.
Because we have such high rates of obesity which is highly correlated with diabetes, and people are living longer (though not longer better, just longer with their chronic diseases and cabinets full of pills) it is expected that the number of AD cases will overtake the number of cancer cases.
From these statements, Brian went on to talk about people's intense fear of cancer. He said that we as a country are terrified of getting cancer but not of getting AD.
Not ME - I have always worried more about Alzheimer's Disease . This may be because I have seen it up close and at its worse, but here is a more nuanced reason.
Cancer has become a treatable condition in many cases - seeming even to be cured in some instances. When there is not a treatment - i.e. often with lung cancer, it seems a quick, though sometimes brutal, death.
There is NO cure for AD and the treatments are only for the symptoms (combativeness, depression, psychosis) and the meds do a poor job at best. The symptoms remain. AD is a slow, debilitating, humiliating, heart breaking end to life - it destroys all in its path. I would rather die young experience or have my loved ones experience my having Alzheimer's type dementia. If you are unfamiliar, know that AD is a brain wasting disease. The brain literally disintegrates. I have see SPEC scans where black spaces show where the brain matter used to be.
If cancer doesn't scare people into more health promoting, disease preventing lifestyles, I pray that the risk for a merciless, incurable disease will.
Well- I am ending summer on a very sour note indeed. Sorry about that.
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