Fat Accumulation in These Two Areas Increases Dementia & Parkinson’s Risk

Summary: The world has seen a sudden rise in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and
Parkinson’s. This rise is significantly attributed to the rise in metabolic disorders. Now, one of the
large clinical studies shows that even how body fat accumulates may increase the risk of
neurodegenerative disorders. It appears that belly and upper arm fat accumulation particularly
increases the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

It is long known that fat accumulation at specific body parts is associated with an increased risk of
heart disease, stroke, or even non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, now, a new study found
that this is also associated with a significantly increased risk of dementia and Parkinson’s.

Science is slowly realizing that metabolic disorders increase the risk of most non-infectious
disorders, and not just diabetes or heart disease. Further, science is starting to understand that
excessive body weight or BMI, though helpful, is not always suggestive of the risk of chronic health
issues. Where and how fat accumulates also matters.

There is a reason why science is so much interested in learning about risk factors of
neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. Diseases like Alzheimer’s are now among the leading
causes of death in many nations. The condition is widespread in the US and many other developed
nations. It is evident that this sudden rise in neurodegenerative disorders had to do with lifestyle
choices.

Of course, one of the reasons why so many people are now diagnosed with conditions like dementia
and cancer is due to the increased human lifespan. However, one cannot negate that a significant
rise in these diseases is also due to rising rates of obesity and lack of physical activity.

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In this new study, researchers analyzed data from UK Biobank. They found that obesity increases the
risk of dementia and Parkinson’s. However, they also found that the location of fat accumulation
also matters. It means that fat accumulation at certain body parts significantly increases the risk of
neurodegenerative conditions.

This new study was published in the Neurology journal. In this new study, researchers analyzed data
from 412,691 individuals with an average follow-up time of nine years. During this period, 8,224
people developed neurodegenerative disorders. The most common diagnosis was Alzheimer’s, with
some developing Parkinson’s and others causing dementia.

However, more importantly, they found that those who developed neurodegenerative disorders
were more likely to have central obesity, belly fat, or more upper arm fat.

On the other hand, higher bone density, leg dominant fat distribution, and greater lean mass were
associated with a lower risk of brain disorders. These findings correspond to previous findings,
showing that the location of fat accumulation also matters.

Why does fat accumulation at specific body parts increase Alzheimer’s risk?

Well, it is something that science still does not fully understand. There could be many reasons for
such an association, like increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and a higher prevalence of heart
disease in the population group.

Researchers say that it is quite likely that those who are living with cardiovascular ailments are also
at a greater risk of neurodegenerative disorders. However, this relationship is quite complex, and
further studies are needed to understand it.

It is quite likely that reducing the risk of heart disease may also reduce dementia risk. Changing body
composition may lower the risk of various neurodegenerative disorders.

Moreover, previous studies have shown that higher lean mass is almost always associated with a
lower risk of neurodegenerative disorders. It appears that higher lean mass and greater physical
activity may help prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, which may explain the beneficial effect of
physical activity.

So, researchers say that if people want to lower their risk of neurodegenerative disorders, they must
focus on improving body composition.

However, researchers also say that certain findings must be interpreted carefully. For example,
higher muscle mass may be associated with lower dementia risk, but it is rather due to reduced
inflammation and better cardiovascular health.

More studies are needed to understand how regular exercise can reduce the risk of
neurodegenerative diseases. Nonetheless, it would be correct to say that to reduce dementia risk,
people should engage in regular exercise, and they should also engage in weight-bearing exercises
like squats and push-ups.

Source:
Xu, S., Wen, S., Yang, Y., He, J., Yang, H., Qu, Y., Zeng, Y., Zhu, J., Fang, F., & Song, H. (2024).
Association Between Body Composition Patterns, Cardiovascular Disease, and Risk of
Neurodegenerative Disease in the UK Biobank. Neurology, 103(4), e209659.
https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209659