A large study shows that having more fat around your arms or belly may increase your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
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, with an average age of 56, who were followed 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.
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.
Dr Huan Song, lead author of the study and an epidemiologist at Sichuan University in 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.
“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 findings were published in the journal Neurologythe medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Visceral fat wraps around abdominal organs deep inside the body, while subcutaneous fat is located under the skin. Even people with a healthy BMI can have a significant amount of visceral fat
The above shows the prevalence of dementia – the percentage of people with dementia – by year from 2000 to 2016. It shows a gradual decline in the percentages
Belly fat is typically made up of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous is just under the skin, while visceral fat surrounds vital organs like the heart.
The researchers noted that fat storage around the hips and thighs “has been associated with health benefits, primarily because it may protect against ectopic fat deposition in vital organs (e.g., muscle), improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce inflammation.”
Ectopic fat builds up in major organs like the liver and heart, contributing to problems like heart disease and fatty liver disease.
The researchers wrote: ‘Our study provides novel insights by identifying significant associations between patterns of ‘leg fat distribution’ and ‘arm fat distribution’ with risk of neurodegeneration, highlighting the critical role of fat and muscle distribution in predicting and potentially mitigating neurodegenerative diseases, beyond traditional weight measures.’
There were several limitations. In particular, the team noted that the participants were predominantly white people from the UK and Northern Ireland, leading to a less diverse sample size.
“Further research among diverse ethnic groups is essential to confirm our findings,” the researchers wrote.