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Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s risk is higher for people with body fat in key areas

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Excessive accumulation of fat in certain parts of the human body may predispose to neurological disorders, including: Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s DiseaseNew research suggests.

The study, published in the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal Neurology, suggests that higher levels of body fat in the arms and abdomen make people more likely to develop these conditions.

Another important finding is that Muscle strength They were at lower risk of developing these diseases.

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“Overall, the key message from our findings is that body composition and cardiovascular disease may be potential targets for preventing neurodegenerative diseases,” Xu Shishi, a clinician in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at West China Hospital of Sichuan University and lead author of the study, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The study group with higher levels of abdominal fat Neurological disorders The researchers found that patients with dementia such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease had a higher proportion of people with dementia compared to those with lower levels of dementia.

Excessive fat accumulation in certain parts of the body may increase susceptibility to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to a new study. (iStock)

Participants with higher arm fat levels had an 18% higher risk.

26% of people have high muscle strength few According to Xu, people with high physical fitness are more likely to develop these diseases than those with low physical fitness.

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Cardiovascular disease risk also plays a role, she said.

“When exposed to harmful body composition patterns such as abdominal fat, Cardiovascular diseaseThis significantly increases the risk of future neurodegenerative diseases,” Xu said.

Arm fat

Higher levels of body fat in the arms and abdomen have been found to be associated with a higher likelihood of developing neurological disorders. (iStock)

“In contrast, aggressive prevention of CVD early on, following exposure to adverse body composition patterns, may reduce future neurodegenerative disease risk by 10.7% to 35.3%.”

Dr. James Galvin, director of the University of Miami Health System’s Center for Comprehensive Brain Health, was not involved in the study but said he was not surprised by the findings.

“Body composition and cardiovascular disease may be potential targets for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.”

“This is consistent with a body of literature suggesting a bidirectional relationship between the brain and the body,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia) Body fatVisceral fat in particular is a risk factor for cognitive impairment.”

Potential limitations

in Observational studies Xu said that in this case, it can be difficult to distinguish correlation from causation.

“While we made significant efforts to approach causation in this study, we acknowledge that residual reverse causation may still bias our findings,” she told Fox News Digital.

Nutritionist

The researchers said taking steps to achieve a healthier body composition may be more effective at preventing neurological disorders than general weight management. (iStock)

The study suggests that body composition and cardiovascular disease may be potential targets for preventing neurodegenerative diseases, but more evidence is needed to confirm that these are causative risk factors, Xu noted.

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Galvin noted that another major limitation of the study was the lack of diversity in the sample.

“This is unfortunate, as obesity is an important risk factor for many minority groups, and our study demonstrates that physical frailty is an important mediator of cognitive decline in older African-Americans,” he said.

Recommended Lifestyle Changes

Based on their findings, the researchers said that taking steps to achieve a healthier body composition, such as reducing abdominal and arm fat while promoting healthy muscle development, may be more effective at preventing neurological disorders than general weight management.

“Lifestyle modifications such as strength training, reducing sedentary behavior, and following a regular routine can help. Balanced diet “Not only does it reduce abdominal fat, it also has the effect of enhancing muscle strength, which may provide greater neuroprotection than weight-focused anti-obesity drugs,” Xu said.

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The researchers also said that treating cardiovascular disease early could reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Girl riding on a weight scale

Researchers say the quality and distribution of muscle and fat may be more important to health than absolute weight. (iStock)

According to Xu, the quality and distribution of muscle and fat may be more important to health than absolute weight.

“recent years, Weight loss drugs“People can become so concerned with their overall weight that they overlook the important role that different parts of the body play,” she said.

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Muscle strength is often overlooked, the researchers noted.

“Our current findings highlight the importance of strengthening muscle strength and its potential neuroprotective effects,” she said.

Woman lifting weights

“Our current findings highlight the importance of strengthening muscle strength and its potential neuroprotective effects,” the researchers said. (iStock)

“So it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and build muscle strength.”

Galvin agrees, recommending that people should focus on maintaining skeletal muscle while losing body fat. Resistance and flexibility training and changes in nutritional patterns.

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“As we gain a better understanding of how lifestyle choices affect brain health and risk of disease, it is becoming increasingly clear that there are many ways to improve our brains as we age,” the doctor added.

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