A recent study has shed light on how where your body stores fat might influence your risk of developing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
According to new research, having excess fat around your arms and belly could increase your chances of these neurodegenerative conditions.
In this large-scale study involving over 400,000 participants, researchers tracked individuals for nine years, focusing on various measures of body composition.
Participants, averaging 56 years old, had their waist and hip measurements, grip strength, bone density, and fat and muscle mass assessed at the start of the study.
During the study, 8,224 participants were diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, and Parkinson’s.
After adjusting for factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, and diabetes, the researchers found that those with higher belly fat were 13% more likely to develop these diseases compared to those with less belly fat.
Similarly, individuals with more fat in their arms had an 18% increased risk.
Muscle Strength and Disease Risk
On the flip side, participants with greater muscle strength had a 26% lower risk of developing these diseases compared to those with weaker muscles.
Dr. Huan Song, the study’s lead author and an epidemiologist at Sichuan University in China, emphasized the importance of these findings.
With neurodegenerative diseases affecting over 60 million people worldwide, understanding how to modify risk factors is crucial.
Dr. Song highlighted that focusing on body composition improvements—like reducing trunk and arm fat while boosting muscle strength—might be more effective in preventing these diseases than general weight control strategies.
The Role of Heart Disease and Stroke
The study also explored how heart disease and stroke might link to the increased risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
This suggests that managing cardiovascular health could be key in preventing or delaying neurodegenerative diseases.
Professor Song emphasized that early intervention in cardiovascular health could help mitigate the risk of these conditions.
What the Findings Reveal
Published in the journal *Neurology*, this research underscores the complex relationship between fat distribution and neurodegenerative disease risk.
Belly fat, which includes subcutaneous fat beneath the skin and visceral fat around vital organs, has been linked to higher disease risk.
In contrast, fat stored around the hips and thighs may offer some health benefits by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation.
The researchers also noted that fat distribution in the legs and arms could play a significant role in predicting and potentially reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
However, the study’s limitations include a sample largely consisting of white participants from the UK and Northern Ireland, suggesting a need for more diverse research to validate these findings.
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