Obesity Can Age Your Brain by 10 Years

Obesity has already been the root cause behind a number of health related problems. Several studies have found a direct link between nervous disorders or physical disorders to be a result of excess weight among individuals. A rising concern and a number of initiatives have already started advocating the need of fighting this rapidly spreading disease in several countries.

Being overweight or having extra fat has the ability to make your brain shrivel. As per a recent study published by the Neurobiology of Aging, it is believed that people suffering from obesity showed a higher number of age-related decline in their brains as compared to slimmer individuals.

The results were based on a study conducted over 527 adults who were overweight and had a BMI over 25. These individuals had very low volumes of white matter inside their brains as compared to people with BMI below 25. White matter is referred to as the tissue connecting different areas of the brain that facilitates communication between the neural regions. They are responsible for everything from thinking to memory inside the brain.

The tissue has a tendency to shrink with age but for the case of obese individuals the speed of shrinking increases drastically. This fact was stated by the lead researcher named Lisa Ronan who is a research associate from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Surprisingly, the research concluded that overweight people had brains that were similar to the individuals who were 10 years older. One possible reason for this to happen is the fact that excess fat tissue produces inflammatory proteins known as cytokines. These have the ability to hurt the brain.

Researchers also did not notice any key difference in the cognitive functioning in between lean people and overweight individuals. However, before this research, there had been evidence that linked extra weight to increase the risk for dementia.

Further adding to the results, Ronan mentions that if the researchers had tested cognitive functions over time instead of doing so only once, one could see the cognitive changes that occurred in the due course of time.

However, besides the consequences and fallouts of having excess weight, it is always a noble idea to stay in shape and control your weight. There have been several researches that have also concluded that returning to normal weight could help in improving the brain health too.

There are a number of best practices that can help in curbing the excess gain of weight. Some of them include regular exercising, reduced consumption of high fat or fast foods, proper sleep timings, etc. Although in this age where a working individual hardly finds time for himself, keeping fit is among the essential elements to control obesity. After all, health is wealth which means that you can enjoy your wealth only if you remain in the best of your health. Moreover as concluded from the study, to remain young both mentally and physically, you need to make sure you do not gain that extra fat.