Belly and arm fat increases risk of dementia and Parkinson’s

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

Beer bellies and "bingo wings" put people at greater risk of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, warns a new study.

Researchers found anyone with high levels of body fat stored in their belly or arms may be more likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases than people with low levels of fat in those areas.

People with high levels of arm fat - known as "bingo wings" - were 18% more likely to develop the diseases than those with low levels, according to the findings.

Those with high levels of belly fat were 13% more likely to develop the disease than people with low levels.

The study, published in the journal Neurology , also found that people with a high level of muscle strength were less likely to develop dementia or Parkinson’s than people with low muscle strength.

Study author Dr. Huan Song, said: "These neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affect over 60 million people worldwide, and that number is expected to grow as the population ages, so it’s crucial that we identify ways to modify risk factors to develop some preventive tools.

“This study highlights the potential to lessen people’s risk of developing these diseases by improving their body composition.

"Targeted interventions to reduce trunk and arm fat while promoting healthy muscle development may be more effective for protection against these diseases than general weight control.”

The study involved 412,691 British people with an average age of 56 who were followed for an average of nine years.

Measurements were taken at the start of the study for body composition, including waist and hip measurements, grip strength, bone density and fat and lean mass.

During the study, 8,224 people developed neurodegenerative diseases - mainly Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, and Parkinson’s.

Men participating in the study with high levels of body fat in their bellies developed the neurodegenerative diseases at a rate of 3.38 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 1.82 cases per 1,000 person-years for those with low levels of body fat in their bellies.

Among female participants, the rates were 2.55 for high levels and 1.39 for low levels.

Prof Song said person-years represent both the number of people in the study and the amount of time each person spends in the study.

After adjusting for other factors that could affect the rate of disease, such as high blood pressure, smoking and drinking status and diabetes, the Chinese research team found that overall people with high levels of belly fat were 13% more likely to develop the diseases than people with low levels of belly fat.

People with high levels of arm fat were 18% more likely to develop the disease than those with low levels of arm fat.

Those with high muscle strength were 26% less likely to develop the disease than those with low levels of strength.

Dr. Song, of Sichuan University, said the relationship between body compositions and the neurodegenerative diseases was partly explained by the occurrence after the start of the study of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

She added: “This underscores the importance of managing these cardiovascular diseases right away to help prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or other degenerative diseases."

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