Having a healthy diet, exercising and not being overweight can not only reduce the risk of developing heart disease, but may also protect against Alzheimer's, new research claims

The research is being presented to 4,000 scientists at the six-day Alzheimer's Association conference in Stockholm from Saturday, the largest meeting dedicated to the disease. So far doctors have been unsure about what causes Alzheimer's disease; however, both genetic and environmental influences are thought to play a part. Now researchers believe they may have linked certain risk factors which are known to cause heart disease to the neurological condition. Alzheimer's is one of several disorders in which brain cells are gradually lost. Initially sufferers find it hard to form new memories and cannot remember recent events. It is estimated there are about 12 million cases of Alzheimer's worldwide, but it is increasing so fast that more than 22 million people will be affected by 2025, experts say. The research will bolster support for cholesterol-lowering drugs. Scientists still do not know exactly why and how the disease develops but the biggest risk is simply age: Alzheimer's cases double with every five years of age between 65 and 85.