Credit score: World Weight problems Federation
Males with excessive ranges of stomach fats are at elevated threat of dementia, in response to a brand new research by Monash College researchers of greater than 17,000 people aged 65 to 98 years within the ASPREE Research.
Importantly, the research additionally discovered that the chance for dementia is as much as 38% decrease in these with greater lean physique mass and, maybe surprisingly, extra fats physique mass.
The research, revealed in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Prognosis, Evaluation & Illness Monitoring, discovered that dementia threat was 15% to 38% decrease for people in greater quartiles of lean or fats physique mass.
Professor Joanne Ryan, who heads the Organic Neuropsychiatry and Dementia analysis unit within the College of Public Well being and Preventive Drugs at Monash, was a senior writer on the research.
“Higher lean body mass and fat body mass in later life may be associated with better cognition, while abdominal fat could be a risk factor, particularly in men,” the research stated.
Extra physique weight, particularly in midlife, is taken into account a threat issue for quite a few well being situations, together with diabetes and heart problems, which in flip are threat components for dementia and most cancers.
“Our findings suggest that increased body weight in older age may confer protective effects on brain aging, regardless of body composition. However, abdominal adiposity may still be a risk factor for cognitive impairment in older individuals, particularly in men,” Professor Ryan stated.
“These findings suggest that avoiding excess fat accumulation in the abdominal area and maintaining a balance between lean and fat mass may be beneficial to cognitive function in older age. Lifestyle strategies, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, likely play a role in protecting brain health for older individuals.”
Extra info:
Zimu Wu et al, Associations of stomach adiposity, lean physique mass, and fats physique mass with dementia and cognitive change in older age, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Prognosis, Evaluation & Illness Monitoring (2025). DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70135
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Dementia safety linked to the place the physique lies—stomach fats a threat issue (2025, July 8)
retrieved 8 July 2025
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