Alzheimer

Isaac Vatkin, 91, was holding the hand of his wife Teresa, 89, as she succumbed to Alzheimer's disease on Saturday, the Daily Herald reported.

Isaac died 40 minutes later. Family members said they took comfort in knowing they were together at the end.

"You didn't want to see them go," said grandson William Vatkin, "but you couldn't ask for anything more."

"Their love for each other was so strong, they simply could not live without each other," said daughter Clara Gesklin at the couple's joint funeral.

Obesity in midlife has long been suspected of increasing the risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look and reported Tuesday that being overweight or obese at age 50 may affect the age, years later, when Alzheimer's strikes. Among those who eventually got sick, more midlife pounds meant an earlier onset of disease.

It will take larger studies to prove if the flip side is true - that keeping trim during middle age might stall later-in-life Alzheimer's. But it probably won't hurt.