High-calorie, high-fat diets appear to pose an added risk for people genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's disease, according to Columbia University researchers.

The researchers said that in their study, elderly individuals with the apolipoprotein E e-4 genetic variant who consumed high-calorie diets loaded with fats were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as those consuming low-calorie, low-fat diets.

Previous studies have shown that people who have the Apo E 4 variant are at increased risk of Alzheimer's.

But the researchers, reporting in the journal Archives of Neurology, said they found no link between calories, fat and Alzheimer's in people without that genetic variant.

"Higher intake of calories and fats may be associated with higher risk of Alzheimer's Disease in individuals carrying the apolipoprotein E 4 allele," the researchers concluded.

Other sources: Archives of Neurology