It turns out that being too fat can do more than just harm your health and perhaps dent your self-esteem. It can also lead to diminished brain function.
That’s the main finding from researchers at a Canadian university who evaluated nearly 6,800 people for a link between excess body fat and reduced cognitive function. To do that, they first assessed the participants’ total body fat with a bioelectrical impedance analysis.
About three-fourths of the people in the study also underwent magnetic resonance imaging to measure abdominal fat around their organs. The MRI also was used to assess areas of the brain affected by reduced blood flow.
The results suggest that preventing or reducing excess body fat is a path to preserving cognitive function — including memory and the brain’s processing speed.
The apparently harmful effect of excess body fat on brain function persisted even after the researchers accounted for fat’s role in cardiovascular problems and vascular brain injury. That, the researchers say, points to still-unknown chemical processes that link excess abdominal fat to reduced cognitive function.
Preserving cognitive function is one of the best ways to prevent dementia. And, along with physical activity and good nutrition, the researchers say their findings underscore the value of considering body fat’s role in cognitive decline.
Next, the researchers say more needs to be learned about the chemical pathways that may be associating excess fat with cognitive decline.
If the bathroom scale and mirror aren’t enough motivation to stay lean and eat healthy, consider your brain health, too.