A study published yesterday in the Archives of Neurology suggests that dramatic weight loss in an elderly person may be the first sign of dementia. Researchers at London's Institute of Psychiatry studied more than 1,800 Japanese-American men. This group of men was examined six time between 1965 and 1999. At each visit, they were weighed. During the last three appointments, they were examined for dementia. All the men had normal body mass indices.

For the first 26 years of the study, the men aged normally. There were no differences in weight loss indicated during this period between the men who later developed dementia and those who did not.

But in the last six years of the study, once the men all reach an age that is considered to be elderly (77-88), dramatic differences began to appear. The 112 men who were diagnosed with demensia, lost slightly less than one pound per year, than those who remained mentally sound. This equates to an average of 11 pounds or 10 percent of the body weight lost. This weight loss actually preceded the onset of dementia, sometimes by as much as four years. Certainly, this can be considered an early warning sign.

Dr. Michael Grundman wrote, 'It’s too soon to know if avoiding weight loss could help prevent or slow dementia.' He is quick to point out that it may not necessarily follow that good nutrition can stave off the onset of dementia. However, it certainly is one way to possibly maintain better health.

Elderly people typically lose weight as they age. They begin to eat less and often have financial difficulties that prevent them from eating balanced diets.