SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 100 million adults in the U.S.are now living with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Researchers now suggest that this disease could increase your risk of “brain diabetes.”

Health expert, Karen Owoc, says experts are seeing a progression from type 2 diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and refer to this as brain diabetes or type 3 diabetes.

• Brain diabetes or type 3 diabetes occurs when neurons in the brain become unable to respond to insulin which is essential for memory and learning.
• There is considerable evidence that diabetes is related to brain diseases.
• People with type 2 diabetes are 50-65% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than people with normal blood sugars.
• More than 27 million to 28.5 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Another 84.1 million have PRE-diabetes. 
• Diabetes is referred to as a“model of accelerated aging”.
• The connection between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia are real and strong.
• Having diabetes makes you twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease.
• Research shows if you get cardiovascular disease, it is likely to affect your cognitive function. Plaque builds up in your brain as well as your heart.
• A27-year study found Obese people (BMI>30) were 74% more likely to have dementia.

The Takeaway: Type 2 diabetes can be prevented if parents start their children on a healthy lifestyle path early in life. Manage stress and maintain good food and activity habits