According to a study highlighted by the medical website "Prevention", an increase in the size of the rumen leads to a shrinkage of the brain, or in a medical sense, the chances of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease increase.
The study, published in the medical journal "Neurology", specialized in neurology in January, found that excess fat on the abdomen and waist increases the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, but also leads to brain diseases.
In the study, researchers followed nearly 10,000 participants with an average age of 55, and compared their body mass index (BMI) and the volume of gray and white matter in their brains, the two main components of the brain.
As we age, the volume of gray and white matter in the brain decreases, increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
The researchers found that participants with a high body mass index, a predictor of obesity, had a significantly lower amount of gray matter in the brain than participants with a healthy body mass index.
The results show that a large waist circumference affects the central nervous system, but more research is still needed to verify the association.
"While our study found that obesity, especially around the middle, was associated with lower gray matter volumes in the brain, it is unclear whether abnormalities in brain structure lead to obesity or if obesity is the cause of these changes." says Dr. Mark. Hammer, one of the participants in the study.
"We have also found links between obesity and shrinkage in specific areas of the brain. This will need further research, but it may be possible to measure BMI on a regular basis to learn about brain health." Hammer added.
"Unfortunately, the abdomen is the most dangerous place to store fat," Lawrence Cheskin, chair of the Department of Nutritional Studies at George Mason University and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Weight Management, said in a previous statement to "Prevention." This is because belly fat is more active than any other type of fat. Body fats can spread into the bloodstream, leading to high blood fats.
But there is still an opportunity to correct the situation and avoid this health problem, if you follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and try to stay away from stress as much as possible while getting enough hours to sleep each night.
The results show that a large waist circumference affects the central nervous system, but more research is still needed to verify the association.
"While our study found that obesity, especially around the middle, was associated with lower gray matter volumes in the brain, it is unclear whether abnormalities in brain structure lead to obesity or if obesity is the cause of these changes." says Dr. Mark. Hammer, one of the participants in the study.
"We have also found links between obesity and shrinkage in specific areas of the brain. This will need further research, but it may be possible to measure BMI on a regular basis to learn about brain health." Hammer added.
"Unfortunately, the abdomen is the most dangerous place to store fat," Lawrence Cheskin, chair of the Department of Nutritional Studies at George Mason University and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Weight Management, said in a previous statement to "Prevention." This is because belly fat is more active than any other type of fat. Body fats can spread into the bloodstream, leading to high blood fats.
But there is still an opportunity to correct the situation and avoid this health problem, if you follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and try to stay away from stress as much as possible while getting enough hours to sleep each night.