People with high levels of body fat stored in the abdomen or arms may be more likely to develop diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's compared to people with low levels of fat in these areas, according to a study published online in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study involved 412.691 people with an average age of 56 and was followed for an average of nine years. Body composition measurements were taken at the start of the study, including waist and hip measurements, grip strength, bone mineral density, fat and lean mass.
During the study, 8.224 people developed neurodegenerative diseases, mainly Alzheimer's disease, other forms of dementia and Parkinson's disease. It found that after adjusting for other factors that could affect disease rates, such as high blood pressure, smoking, drinking and diabetes, people with high levels of belly fat were 13% more likely to develop these diseases compared to people with low levels of belly fat. Those with high levels of arm fat were 18% more likely to develop the diseases than those with low levels.
Also, the study found that people with a high level of muscle strength were 26% less likely to develop these diseases compared to people with low muscle strength.
"Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's affect over 60 million people worldwide and this number is expected to increase as the population ages, so it is important to identify ways to modify risk factors to develop some preventive tools," points out study author Huang Song of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.
"This study highlights the potential to reduce people's risk of developing these diseases by improving their body composition. "Targeted interventions to reduce trunk and arm fat while promoting healthy muscle growth may be more effective in protecting against these diseases than general weight control," he adds.
A limitation of the study, according to the researchers, is that the participants were mostly white from the UK, so the results may not apply to other populations.
Source: KYPE