Body Fat May Affect Your Brain Volume, Study Says

Body fat is linked to a number of adverse health effects, including increased risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and breathing problems. The latest study finds an intriguing link between body fat, especially around the middle, and the brain. In a study published in Neurology, researchers analyzed brain images from nearly 10,000 people enrolled in the UK Biobank study, which includes health information from more than 500,000 volunteers who continue to update their medical histories. In the study, scientists compared body mass index (BMI) measurements as well as waist-to-hip ratio recordings taken between 2006 and 2010. The scientists found that people with both higher BMI (defined as equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2) and higher waist-to-hip ratio measurements had lower grey matter volume in the brain compared to those who were leaner. This effect remained strong even after researchers accounted for other factors that might affect brain volume, including age, smoking history, education, physical activity and history of mental illness. “The take-home message is that being overweight and obese has a multitude of effects on health, so it’s unsurprising that obesity is also going to have an effect on our brain health,” says Mark Hamer, professor of exercise medicine at Loughborough University in England and lead author of the study. Looking at both BMI as well as waist-to-hip ratio clarifies what role different types of body fat may play in affecting the bra...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Brain healthytime Obesity Source Type: news