Study: Belly Fat Correlated with Lower Cognitive
Functioning in Older Adults
By Esther Heerema, 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.
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Until next time… Carpe diem…