Health Update: Abdominal Fat Harms Your Brain
Hello everyone:
Here is another paper that details how increased levels of abdominal fat have detrimental effects on our brain function. Considering that Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia now affects 1 out of every 3 seniors sooner or later, that the number of deaths from Alzheimer’s is now greater than breast and prostate cancer combined, that Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death, and that there is no known medical treatment, it becomes obvious that prevention is essential.
Part of prevention and preservation of our cognitive capacity is to keep our inflammatory burden LOW, and one way to do that is to keep our belly fat LOW as well. Here is what the authors have to say about a population of individuals at higher risk of dementia:
- Obesity is a well-known risk factor for poorer cognition and dementia, but the distribution of body fat may influence the risk and underlying mechanisms in the fat-brain-cognition pathway.
- The study examined associations of several abdominal fat depots with cognitive functioning and AD-related brain volumes.
· "These results suggest that already in midlife, abdominal fat accumulation may have deleterious effects on brain health, especially in men," the authors wrote.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.24004
Because all types of dementia have multiple causes, correcting abdominal fat stores is just part of an overall prevention strategy, yet it is a critical one. Additionally, the most common method of determining obesity is the BMI measurement. Unfortunately, BMI does not adequately reflect abdominal fat stores and should not be used alone but in conjunction with BIA measurements (Bio-Impedance Analysis) and hip to waist ratio measurements.
Bottom Line:
For your future health and wellness, it is important to get and keep your abdominal fat percentage low, your weight in the proper zone, and live an optimized lifestyle. This foundational approach starts with proper food, which I have outlined in many previous blog posts available on my website. It will pay you back as your best long-term investment with enormous dividends. Here is one of my favorite quotes from renowned longevity expert Valter Longo, PhD:
“In the year 440 BCE the Greek physician Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine by food.” His wisdom has proven true since we now know that altering the levels, type, and timing of food consumption (i.e., intermittent fasting) is perhaps the most potent, feasible and safest intervention to improve health, extend longevity, and extend the time in which health and functional capacity are maintained (i.e., healthspan) in species ranging from bacteria to humans.”
