Potbelly linked to smaller brain size

Having a pot belly is the reason why most people,  hit the gym and get involved in different vigorous exercises because it changes the physical appearance of someone and their health in general.

Not losing a pot belly causes health risks, self-esteem and mental issues to those who try so hard to get rid of it.

The extra body fat around the middle, however, has been linked to brain shrinkage by a study published in the online issue Neurology today.

The researchers have found out that participants with a higher ratio of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip had the lowest brain volume.

BMI is a measure of an individual weight with respect to his/her height. People with BMI above 30.0 are deemed to be obese.

Waist-to-hip ratio is determined by diving the circumference of the waist by the hip circumference. Individuals who have bigger pot bellies as compared to their hip have a higher ratio.

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According to the study author Mark Hamer of Loughborough University, the research looked at the large group of individuals and discovered that extra body fat around the middle can be linked with brain shrinkage.

“The existing research has linked brain shrinkage to memory decline and a higher risk of dementia, but research on whether extra body fat is protective or detrimental to brain size has been open to questionS,” said Hamer.

The researchers found that high BMI and waist-to-hip ratio independently was linked to slightly lower brain volumes compared to those with who did not have a high waist-to-hip ratio.

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Physical activity, smoking, and high blood pressure can also affect brain volume.

In the study, over 9,000 participants of averagely 55years were surveyed and the BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and overall body fat were measured.

The researchers afterward used magnetic resonance imaging to determine brain volumes in white and gray matter in various regions f the brain.

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“The study found obesity, especially around the middle region, was associated with lower gray matter brain volumes, it’s unclear if abnormalities in brain structure lead to obesity or if obesity leads to these changes in the brain. We also found links between obesity and shrinkage in specific regions of the brain. This will need further research but it may be possible that someday regularly measuring BMI and waist-to-hip ratio may help determine brain health,” added Hamer.