Impact of abdominal fat on brain health more in men than women: Study

New Delhi: The impact of abdominal fat on brain health and cognition is more pronounced in middle-aged men at high risk of Alzheimer's disease as opposed to women, according to a study.

The findings, published in the journal Obesity, open new avenues for targeted interventions and further exploration of sex-specific approaches in understanding and mitigating the impact of abdominal fat on brain health.

In middle-aged individuals with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, the amount of fat in their abdominal organs -- pancreas, liver, and belly -- is related to their brain volumes and cognitive function, the researchers said.

The study conducted on 204 healthy middle-aged Alzheimer 's-dementia offspring investigated fat deposits in the pancreas, liver and abdomen measured with MRI, they said.

"In middle-aged males at high Alzheimer's disease risk -- but not females -- higher pancreatic fat was associated with lower cognition and brain volumes, suggesting a potential sex-specific link between distinct abdominal fat with brain health,” said Michal Schnaider Beeri from the Rutgers Institute for Health, US.

Obesity is a risk factor for lower cognitive functioning and higher dementia risk, with different associations between sexes.

The research findings highlight the importance of investigating the interrelationships of fat deposits, brain aging and cognition in the context of sex differences.

Additionally, the study challenges the conventional use of body mass index (BMI) as the primary measure for assessing obesity-related cognitive risks.

The researchers said BMI poorly represents body fat distribution and does not necessarily account for sex differences.

"Our findings indicate stronger correlations compared to the relationships between BMI and cognition, suggesting that abdominal fat depots, rather than BMI, is a risk factor for lower cognitive functioning and higher dementia risk," said Sapir Golan Shekhtman, a PhD student at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel.