Carrying weight around your middle? You’re at greater risk of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, experts find… but being muscular may protect against the diseases
People with excess belly and arm fat are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, a new study finds.
Researchers have found that people who carry weight in these areas – often called “beer bellies” and “bingo wings” – have a greater risk of the diseases, while people with more muscle have a lower risk.
The study involved 412,691 people in the UK, with an average age of 56, and followed them for nine years.
At the start of the study, measurements were taken of body composition, such as waist and hip circumference, grip strength, bone density, and fat and muscle mass.
During the study, 8,224 people developed neurodegenerative diseases, mainly Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers have found that people with ‘beer bellies’ and ‘bingo wings’ appear to have a higher risk of the diseases, while people with more muscle have a lower risk
After accounting for other factors that can influence disease severity, such as high blood pressure, smoking and drinking habits, and diabetes, the researchers found that people with a lot of belly fat were 13 percent more likely to develop these diseases than those with little belly fat.
People with a lot of arm fat were 18 percent more likely to develop the disease than people with little arm fat.
However, people with a lot of muscle strength were 26 percent less likely to develop the diseases than people with little muscle strength.
Study author Professor Huan Song from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, said: ‘These neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, affect more than 60 million people worldwide. And that number is expected to increase as the population ages. It is therefore crucial that we find ways to modify risk factors and develop preventive measures.
‘This study highlights that it is possible to reduce the risk of developing these diseases by improving body composition.
‘Targeted interventions to reduce trunk and arm fat while promoting healthy muscle development may be more effective in protecting against these diseases than general weight management.’
The link between bingo wings, belly fat and these diseases was partly explained by the occurrence of heart disease and stroke during the study, the researchers said.
People with high muscle strength were 26 percent less likely to develop the diseases than people with low muscle strength.
“This underlines the importance of addressing these cardiovascular diseases promptly to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other degenerative diseases,” said Professor Song.
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently around one million people living with dementia in the UK, with this number expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.
There are now around 153,000 people in the UK living with Parkinson’s disease. The disease can cause symptoms such as tremors, stiffness and slow movements.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology.
