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Secrets of the Brain—Belly Connection Further studies indicate that those with the most belly Do you value your brain power? Certainly, the one fat (visceral fat mass) suffer the greatest mental declines faculty that everyone wants to hold onto throughout a over time, and that central or abdominal obesity in lifetime is a fully functioning, intact brain. — particular accounts for more than a threefold increase in Unfortunately, belly fat can deliver a serious blow to dementia risk.’ ° that aspiration. Overwhelming evidence now reveals What's even more worrying is that increased belly fat that your expanding waistline will put a serious crimp is linked to decreases in total brain volume, on your brain size as well as your brain power. independent of BMI. This can cause changes in another Researchers set out to discover if being overweight area of the brain, the hippocampus, which is posed a danger to the brain. They scanned the brains of _ responsible for long-term memory, spatial memory and 94 people over the age of seventy. They were looking to _navigation.'' Finally, excess belly fat also appears to see the differences in the brains of people who were contribute to lesions in the brain's white matter, normal weight (BMI under 25), overweight (BMI 25-30) especially in diabetic patients, linking it not just to and obese (BMI over 30).° (BMI stands for "body mass — memory loss but also to increased risk of stroke.” index", an approximation of body fat based on height Obesity also causes changes to the immune system and weight.) Their results were quite shocking. which fan the flames of inflammation throughout the Overweight people had four per cent less brain tissue body. This increased inflammation can have an impact than people of normal weight. For obese people, the — on the brain and lead to a vicious cycle of gaining more findings were even worse: and more weight: obesity they had eight per cent less brain eads to inflammation, which tissue than people of normal damages certain parts of the weight. Overweight people brain, which in turn leads to The study showed that more uncontrolled eating and carrying extra weight not only had four per cent less more obesity. degenerated the brain but brain tissue than people of There are many areas of the also accelerated its ageing. . brain that are affected by Researcher Paul Thompson normal weight. For obese overweight: shared ns observation: ae people, the findings ¢ frontal and tempora rains of overweight people obes, critical for planning, looked eight years older than were even WOTse... memory and impulse control; the brains of those who were lean, and 16 years older in obese people. Type 2 diabetes, ¢ anterior cingulate gyrus, responsible for attention and executive functions; which is common in the overweight, is known to ¢ hippocampus, important for long-term memory, accelerate the ageing of the brain and the onset of spatial memory and navigation; dementia. But the relationship between brain size and ¢ basal ganglia, essential for proper movement and weight still stood when the researchers accounted for coordination. this, suggesting it is the fat itself that is causing the Here is the catch 22: those extra kilograms impair problem. It is thought that high levels of fat raise the — brain function and compromise the particular areas o odds of the arteries clogging up, cutting the flow of _ the brain that have an impact on a person's ability to blood and oxygen to the brain. This could cause brain have a keen memory, to control impulses and to follow cells to die and the organ to shrink."” The high demands _ through on any kind of planning. It therefore becomes put on these brain areas may make them more sensitive more difficult to commit successfully to any kind o to changes in oxygen levels. program, especially a weight loss program. Since the Another study used magnetic resonance imaging to _impulse-control part of the brain is affected, controlling compare the brains of 44 obese individuals with those those urges to help you to another doughnut or a of 19 lean people of similar age and background. The — second helping of mashed potatoes is an Herculean obese individuals had more water in the amygdala, a __ effort and generally doomed to fail. part of the brain involved in eating behaviour. The imaging also showed a smaller orbitofrontal cortex in Vitamin D: A Key to a Healthy Metabolism the obese—which is of concern, considering that this There is one really important nutritional player when area of the brain is important for impulse control andis it comes to our health. This superstar nutrient is the also involved in eating behaviour. These findings sunshine hormone, vitamin D. (Vitamin D is really a strengthen the "slippery slope" theory of obesity. The — steroid hormone rather than an actual vitamin.) neural changes that occur when you are overweight Vitamin D truly deserves the title of "superstar". Each affect the parts of your brain that influence and control year, vitamin D researchers discover additional health so many behaviours necessary to make healthy choices.* benefits conferred by this sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D Overweight people had four per cent less brain tissue than people of normal weight. For obese people, the findings Vitamin D: A Key to a Healthy Metabolism There is one really important nutritional player when it comes to our health. This superstar nutrient is the sunshine hormone, vitamin D. (Vitamin D is really a steroid hormone rather than an actual vitamin.) Vitamin D truly deserves the title of "superstar". Each year, vitamin D researchers discover additional health benefits conferred by this sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D 18 * NEXUS JUNE - JULY 2011 were even WOTrse... www.nexusmagazine.com