Sugary diet may increase risk of Alzheimer's disease

Research presented at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference today has shown that sugary drink intake is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

No matter the form of sugar – fizzy drinks, sweets, cakes – those who had the highest consumption of sugar in the study were found to have the highest risk of developing Alzheimer’s. 

Dr Doug Brown, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, says:

'Dementia is one of the 21st century’s biggest killers, with one person developing the condition every three minutes. With no way to slow down or cure dementia, risk reduction is critical.
 
'Too much sugar is linked to type 2 diabetes and our previous research has identified type 2 diabetes as a risk factor for dementia. This study backs up this evidence, suggesting that excess sugar may increase our risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and all types of sugar – from fruit juice to lemonade – have the same impact. 
 
'By cutting down on the fizzy drinks, sweets and cakes and eating a varied and balanced diet we will be able to reduce our risk of developing dementia in later life.'