A study recently published in Neurology suggests that those with high levels of body fat that is stored in their arms or belly may be more likely to develop diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease than those with low levels of fat in these areas. The study also suggests that those with high levels of muscle strength may be less likely to develop these diseases compared to those with low muscle strength.
“These neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affect over 60 million people worldwide, and that number is expected to grow as the population ages, so it’s crucial that we identify ways to modify risk factors to develop some preventive tools,” said study author Huan Song, MD, PhD, of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
“This study highlights the potential to lessen people’s risk of developing these diseases by improving their body composition. Targeted interventions to reduce trunk and arm fat while promoting healthy muscle development may be more effective for protection against these diseases than general weight control,” said Song.
Examining the effects of body composition on neurodegenerative diseases
This study involved 412,691 participants with an average age of 56 who were followed on average for 9 years. During the study, 8,224 participants developed neurodegenerative disease, most commonly Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.
The analysis revealed that male participants with high levels of body fat in their bellies developed neurodegenerative diseases at a rate of 3.38 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 1.82 cases per 1,000 person-years for low levels of belly fat. Rates for female participants with high levels of body fat were 2.55 per 1,000 person-years compared to 1.39 for low levels of body fat.
Overall findings
After adjusting for various potentially influencing factors, overall, those with high levels of belly fat were 13% more likely to develop these diseases than those with low levels of belly fat. Additionally, those with high levels of arm fat were 18% more likely to develop the disease than those with low levels of arm fat. It was also revealed that those with high muscle strength were 26% less likely to develop these diseases than those with low muscle strength.
According to the researchers, the relationship between body composition and these neurodegenerative diseases was partly explained by the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease after the commencement of the study.
Why this is important
“This underscores the importance of managing these cardiovascular diseases right away to help prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or other degenerative diseases,” Song said.
Studies suggest that some of this risk may also be mitigated by making healthful lifestyle changes such as following a healthy diet and regular physical activity which can help with weight management as well as protecting cognitive function.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5189
http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209659
https://worldhealth.net/news/study-links-nutrients-with-slower-brain-aging/