Scientists from the United States have discovered a link between excess belly fat and dementia
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Excess belly fat can signal brain atrophy and dementia. At the same time, visceral fat, which is located in the abdominal area and surrounds the internal organs, is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat.
This is evidenced by a corresponding study published in the journal Aging and Disease, writes CNN.
“The more fat on the stomach, the more memory centers in the brain are reduced“says Alzheimer’s disease researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, a neurologist at the Florida Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases.
“People in their 40s and 50s with excess belly fat had higher amounts of an abnormal protein called “amyloid” in the part of the brain where Alzheimer’s disease occurs” adds Dr. Cyrus Raji, associate professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
| Photo: Nata Serenko/GettyImages |
At the same time, men have more visceral fat, scientists say.
The study also found a link between excess belly fat and brain atrophy.
“This is important because brain atrophy is another biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease“, Raji emphasizes.
“We also found that people with more visceral fat tend to have inflammation in white matter pathways in the brain“, says Dr. Mahsa Dolatshahi, a researcher at Washington University School of Medicine.
Without a functional white matter pathway, the brain cannot fully “communicate” with different parts of the brain and body.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, subcutaneous fat typically makes up 90% of the body.
Visceral fat hides behind the abdominal muscles, deep in the abdomen and wraps around vital organs.
Experts note that subcutaneous fat is not usually associated with insulin resistance. However, the higher the level of visceral fat, the greater a person’s resistance to insulin, which causes inflammation in the brain.
Insulin resistance occurs when cells in the body do not respond well to insulin, a hormone needed to regulate blood sugar levels. The condition often leads to diabetes and other diseases.
“Insulin resistance causes inflammation in the brain, which accelerates the deposition of amyloid, one of the key markers of Alzheimer’s disease. This is why people with diabetes have twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease“, adds Richard Isaacson.
Whole-body MRIs and body scans are the most accurate way to measure visceral fat, but many measure waist circumference.
To correctly measure the waist circumference, doctors recommend wrapping a flexible tape measure around the waist just above the hips. For women, 89 centimeters or more means they are at risk for health problems related to visceral fat.
For men, the figure is 102 centimeters or more.
Even thin people can have excess visceral fat. This happens in cases where a person does sports, but eats incorrectly, researchers say.
However, the good news is that visceral fat “responds” well to diet and exercise.
“Visceral fat is easier to lose through diet and exercise than subcutaneous fat because it is more easily metabolized and burned“, says Cyrus Raji.
Read also: “Depression in mothers can negatively affect their children’s university studies – study”
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