The Connection Between Midlife Belly Fat and Alzheimer’s Disease in Later Years

The correlation between belly fat in one’s 40s and 50s and later Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis is detailed in a new study. Visceral fat, stored deep in the abdomen and surrounding the organs, is found to trigger inflammation that affects the brain and could be an indication of early-stage Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear. The study, presented at the annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago, analyzed 54 participants, and found that those with higher visceral to subcutaneous fat ratios had higher levels of the amyloid protein linked to Alzheimer’s. This fat also sparked brain inflammation and was associated with brain changes 15 years before symptoms appeared. However, visceral fat is responsive to diet and exercise, making it easier to lose.