Study: Belly Fat Correlated with Lower Cognitive

Functioning in Older Adults

By , About.com Guide   March 25, 2012

The journal Age and Ageing recently published a study that discusses the relationship between being overweight and cognitive decline. There were 250 people involved in this study, and researchers measured their stomach fat, weighed them to calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), and evaluated their cognitive performance using the MMSE.

What they found was not surprising since previous research has supported it as well: People with higher BMIs who specifically carried their weight in their stomach areas performed lower on cognitive functioning tests. These results were especially significant for participants who were between the ages of 60 and 70.

As we look to identify ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and other dementia, research continues to suggest that a physically and mentally active lifestyle seems to provide some protection against dementia.

_______

Source

Until next time… Carpe diem…