A new study finds that elevated blood glucose levels - in people with or without diabetes — may be linked with cognitive problems. The study, published in the August issue of New England Journal of Medicine and highlighted in Environmental Nutrition's July newsletter, followed more than 2,000 adults for an average of seven years.

At the start of the study, all the participants were free of dementia. Among participants who did not have diabetes, risk for dementia increased with glucose levels. Among participants with diabetes, risk for dementia rose along with glucose levels.

A similar study in 2012, published in the Archives of Neurology, also found diabetes linked to cognitive function. More than 3,000 elderly adults were studied over nine years. Participants with diabetes had the poorest cognitive functioning at the beginning and end of the study. During the study, 159 subjects developed diabetes, and had a higher decline in mental abilities compared to those who stayed free of diabetes.

Researchers believe elevated blood glucose levels may damage blood vessels or increase inflammation in the brain.

What should you do to reduce blood glucose levels?

1. Lose weight if you are overweight to help lower blood glucose levels and prevent prediabetes.

2. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and unsaturated fats. Limit processed foods like pretzels, snack cakes and macaroni and cheese mixes.

3. Eat more whole fruit than fruit juice.

4. Limit added sugars and syrups found in sodas, sweetened teas, sweetened yogurt, granola bars, jarred spaghetti sauce and peanut butter.

5. Be physically active for at least 150 minutes each week.

Information courtesy of the Environmental Nutrition Newsletter.

Q and A

Q: Is it true that getting more sleep could help me lose weight?

A: If you are already getting adequate sleep (six, seven or up to eight hours a night), getting more sleep is unlikely to help you lose weight. However, if like many people you are currently getting too little sleep, more shut-eye might help. A 2008 analysis of studies found that adults who get less than six hours of sleep are about 55 percent more likely to be obese. These associations can't prove that lack of sleep is what caused excess weight. Yet several studies that followed people for 10 to 20 years do link getting less than six or seven hours of sleep a night with greater likelihood of weight gain. Short-term trials tie lack of sleep to changes in hormones that control appetite and to greater perception of hunger. In one recent study, sleep deprivation produced changes in brain activity in the "reward center," which could explain links between lack of sleep and preference for sweets and other high-calorie foods. If too little sleep leaves you too tired to be physically active, or more likely to turn to sweets and other foods to perk up your energy, it could increase the calories you consume and decrease calories burned, thus leading to weight gain. On a practical basis, if you stay up late, then more time awake means more time available for eating. Note that it's getting the right amount of sleep that supports healthy weight. In a study of more than 120,000 people, getting more than eight hours of sleep a night was also linked to long-term weight gain. These links, while important, were small compared to links with changes in eating and physical activity. In other words, keep your focus on healthy habits overall. Get the sleep you need to live a lifestyle that supports health, including a healthy weight.

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Recipe

Here's a summer-inspired recipe for Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb BBQ Sauce. It's from Eating Well magazine. The sauce can be made ahead and frozen for use later in the summer.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups sliced rhubarb, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add rhubarb, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the onion and rhubarb are soft, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; ad to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the pork until a thermometer reads 145 degrees, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the sauce. Serves four (3 ounces pork and 1/4 cup sauce).

Per serving: 288 calories, 25 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 395 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian in Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.