Credits: iStock/Waridsara Pitakpon
Associated with a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s, visceral fat affects a large part of the Brazilian population – iStock/Getty Images
People with large amounts of fat stored around their organs, as they age, may be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, reveals a study carried out by Washington University School of Medicinein the United States.
According to research on the subject, this type of fat, called visceral, can accumulate around the organs of even people with a healthy BMI. Furthermore, they are associated with changes in the brain, systemic inflammation – when the immune system is constantly activated, even when there is no threat to health – and higher insulin levels, situations associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
How do I know if I have this type of fat?
Although an MRI of the abdomen is necessary to confirm that a person has visceral fat, it is possible to observe some signs of this fat. These signs are:
- A waist larger than the hips.
- Blood sugar high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes.
Fat vs. Alzheimer’s: Study Details
To understand the relationship between visceral fat and Alzheimer’s risk, researchers analyzed data from 54 cognitively healthy volunteers, ages 40 to 60, who had an average BMI of 32. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. The researchers measured a range of health parameters, including insulin and blood sugar levels.
Using MRI scans, they assessed the amount of fat just beneath the skin, as well as what surrounded the organs. MRIs have also been used to measure the thickness of the cortex – the outer layer of the brain responsible for functions such as speech, perception, long-term memory and judgment – which becomes thinner as Alzheimer’s disease progresses.
PET scans were determined whether two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s – tau and amyloid – were present in greater volume.
What do the results show?
By analyzing fat measurements and brain scans together, experts found that participants with more visceral fat had greater accumulations of amyloid in their brains, suggesting they may be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
In other words, as the initial development of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain can begin up to 20 years before the first symptoms appear, researchers now want to study the potential long-term impact of visceral fat.
How to lose visceral fat?
The answer is simple: through exercise, especially aerobic exercise. It’s also important to adopt a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Avoid excess sugars, saturated fats and processed foods.
Although an obese person is more likely to have both types of fat (subcutaneous and visceral), lean people can also have visceral fat but not realize it.
