Weight loss is usually considered a good thing, unexpected and extreme weight loss can be a sign of something in your body going very wrong. There could be some underlying issues that are causing your body to pull weight and nutrition from your muscles and body fat to keep you going. As you grow old, your limbs grow weaker, and same for your muscles, so you do lose some weight as you age, but losing a lot of it too quickly could be a sign of something much worse, Dementia. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open 2025 Cardiometabolic Trajectories Preceding Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals, has identified potential early indicators of dementia, including significant weight loss and specific digestive changes, appearing years before noticeable cognitive decline.

The study showed that people who later got dementia had their Body Mass Index, or BMI, go down faster than those who stayed healthy. BMI is a way to see if someone's weight is healthy for their height. This drop in BMI started happening many years before they were told they had dementia, sometimes as early as 11 years ago. Also, these people often started with a lower BMI to begin with. So, even though everyone's weight might change a little as they get older, the people who developed dementia had a much bigger and faster weight loss.

What Are Some Other Indicators Of Dementia?

Along with their BMI, the size of their waist also changed. People who ended up with dementia had smaller waist sizes, and this difference was noticeable about 10 years before they were diagnosed. This means that their bodies were changing in ways that showed up long before they or their doctors noticed any problems. So, not only was there weight loss, but also a loss of abdominal fat. This measurement is important because fat around the waist can be related to other health issues.

The study also found changes in their blood. Specifically, the "good" cholesterol, called HDL, went up in people who developed dementia. This increase happened about five years before they were diagnosed. It's tricky because HDL is usually seen as a good thing for your heart. But in this case, it seems like it might be a sign of changes happening in the brain. Scientists are still trying to understand why this happens.

Weight Loss Doesn’t Cause Dementia, Dementia Causes Weight Loss

When we see that people with dementia lose weight, it's easy to think that the weight loss is what caused dementia. But experts think it's the other way around. They call this "reverse causation." This means that the brain changes that cause dementia also cause people to lose weight. The brain changes can affect things like appetite, how the body uses food, and how people go about their daily lives. For example, people might forget to eat, have trouble making meals, or move around less.

While the study revealed a lot about different indicators of dementia and bodily changes, there are many limitations to the study. Everyone loses some weight as they get older. So, it's hard to know when weight loss is just a normal part of aging and when it's a sign of dementia. The study found that people with dementia lost weight faster, but it's still tricky to tell the difference in everyday life. Doctors need to look at other things, like memory tests, to figure out if someone's weight loss is a cause for concern.

If someone is losing weight without trying, and they're also having problems with their memory or thinking, it's important to talk to a doctor. It's not just about the weight loss; it's about the whole picture.

Vaccination has been the most powerful and effective tool in modern medicine that improves the body's immune system and fights off diseases, saving millions of lives annually.

Vaccines reduce the risk of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. Vaccines are available to prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunization currently prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, and measles.

Also Read: Cancer-Hit US Couple Opens Up On ‘Nightmare’ Experience

While vaccines are available for both young and old, former director of AIIMS New Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria, in a post on social media platform Instagram, urged doctors to recommend these based on people's age and the presence of comorbidities.

“Two very important factors one has to consider when recommending a vaccine for the adult population. One is the age, and if you have a patient over the age of 60 years, vaccination is definitely something you should recommend, or if a patient has associated comorbidities which increase the chance of vaccine-preventable diseases,” said the noted pulmonologist from Medanta Hospitals, Gurugram, in a Doctor's Special Series.

He recommended doctors to prescribe six types of vaccines for adults, namely:

• Influenza Vaccine

“It can be given as a pre-winter vaccine, which is a northern hemisphere vaccine, or it can be given in May or June when it is a southern hemisphere vaccine,” he added.

A flu vaccine typically reduces the risk of influenza infection, prevents severe illness, and complications.

Also read: This Common Vaccine At Higher Dose Can More Than Halve Alzheimer’s Risk In Older Adults

• Pneumococcal Vaccine

“For the pneumococcal vaccine, we now have a conjugate vaccine, which is available as PCV20, which is once in a lifetime, and that has made things much more easier,” Dr. Guleria said.

The PCV20 vaccine guards against 20 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. It also prevents serious pneumonia, invasive infections, and related complications. It is recommended for adults aged over 65 and those with weakened immune systems.

• Shingles Vaccine

The vaccine against shingles prevents the risk of viral infection that causes a painful rash and nerve damage. It also helps prevent long-term nerve pain and prevents serious complications from shingles. The vaccine is safe for adults 50 and older.

• Tdap vaccine

The Tdap vaccine protects against pertussis infection, also known as whooping cough. It guards against tetanus infections and reduces the risk of diphtheria and related complications.

• HPV vaccine

Beyond cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine also protects against anal and throat cancer. It prevents 90 percent of HPV-related cancers, is safe, and effective. It also prevents genital warts.

Also read: Health Tests Every Woman Should Do Once A Year

• Region-specific vaccination

Also read: How Vaccinations Help Build Immunity? List Of Vaccines You Should Get

A Cancer-hit US couple in North Dakota has shared their ‘nightmare’ experience with dual diagnosis of the deadly disease and parenting their three children.

Spencer Eddy, a 39-year-old father of three, suffered from dizzy spells for years. While doctors dismissed the condition as vertigo, it turned out to be a brain tumor, People reported.

MRI scans in April 2024 revealed that he had a tumor the size of a lime in his brain. Further scans and tests at Mayo Clinic in October confirmed medulloblastoma -- a malignant tumor that is located on the part of the brain that controls coordination and movement.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is most common in children, but can occur in adults.

“When we found out that Spencer had a brain tumor, we were terrified,” said Jolene, his wife. “They said the cancer was blocking the fluid that flows from your vein to your spinal cord. They said they didn't know how he was still walking and talking, and how he hadn't had a stroke."

A week later, Spencer underwent a 10-hour surgery, and doctors were able to remove 85 percent of the tumor. Along with radiation and chemotherapy, he also needed speech and physical therapy to relearn how to walk and talk, People reported.

What came as a double blow to the couple was Jolene’s breast cancer diagnosis in April 2025.

“Whilst we were in the hospital, I noticed a small pea-sized lump under my armpit, but I put it to the back of my mind, because of everything that was going on with Spencer,” she recalled. “Doctors said it was probably just a cyst, but I asked for it to be removed anyway, and when it came back from testing, I found out it was breast cancer. I was absolutely floored.”

The doting parents “were so devastated and scared about what would happen to their kids”, if both of them die.

Following her diagnosis, Jolene was given hormone blockers and underwent a double mastectomy while Spencer was still undergoing chemotherapy.

Jolene struggled after the surgery and was vomiting and passing out frequently. She ultimately needed a blood transfusion and was able to recover.

It was hard for Jolene to take care of the family as Spencer could not walk well or drive.

"We're living most people's nightmare, but we're feeling optimistic about the future,” she said. “We have a long life, and we're going to fight for it; we're not going to give up.”

Spencer completed treatment in April 2025 and now has no evidence of cancer. Jolene also has no evidence of cancer. The couple now goes to appointments with their oncologists together as they hope to ensure their tumors don't grow back, the report said

Can A Brain Tumor Cause Dizziness?

While dizziness by itself is not a common symptom of a brain tumor, some tumors can trigger headaches and bouts of nausea and vomiting that may be associated with a dizzy feeling.

Dizziness, also called vertigo, is however, associated with tumors that develop in the cerebellum—the part of the brain that controls movement.

Medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor, forms when cells in the cerebellum develop changes in their DNA. These changes cause the cells to grow and multiply quickly, as per the Mayo Clinic.

Common signs and symptoms of medulloblastoma may include:

• Dizziness.
• Double vision or other vision changes.
• Headaches, which are often worse in the morning.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Poor coordination.
• Tiredness.
• Difficulty with balance or an unsteady walk.

There are many myths linked to heart health that can mislead people and prevent them from seeking timely help. This article helps to debunk the myths and keep the heart healthy. It is time to prioritize heart health. Dr Rahul Gupta, Director of Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart Program, Gleneagles Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, spoke about the common myths about heart disease and listed the facts as well.

Heart problems are commonly seen in people of all age groups. However, heart health is often surrounded by myths and misconceptions that can lead to confusion and poor lifestyle choices in people. So, heart health depends on multiple factors, including diet, activity, stress, and overall lifestyle, and not just one or two habits. Here, the expert helps to debunk the myths associated with heart health and improve the quality of life.

Dispelling myths surrounding heart health

Myth 1: Only older people are at risk of heart problems

Fact: People commonly believe that heart problems can only happen in old age. However, currently, a large number of youngsters aged 25-35 are also struggling with heart issues such as heart attacks and heart failure because of stress, unhealthy diets, and lack of exercise. So, heart problems are not limited only to older people. Anyone, irrespective of their age, can suffer from them. Hence, there is a need of the hour to go for regular heart check-ups and to initiate timely treatment for heart problems.

Myth 2: If you are fit, your heart is SAFE

Fact: So, being physically active is important, but it does not reduce the chances of heart problems. Be attentive to the family history, genetics, and other factors such as high cholesterol or even stress. So, go for cardiac screening on a yearly basis to know the status of your heart health. Discomfort in the arms, jaw, or back and light-headedness can also mean that your heart is in danger.

Myth 3: Heart disease is only seen in men

Fact: Shockingly, heart disease also causes higher morbidity and mortality rates in women. The symptoms seen in women linked to heart disease are dizziness, palpitations, and even giddiness. Hence, women should also focus on their heart health. Stay alert, stay safe!

Your heart health matters. By understanding the facts and making informed choices, it is possible for everyone to protect their heart and overall well-being.