The findings indicate that interventions to improve eating habits and manage central obesity (belly fat) targeted to people between ages 48 and 70 could help promote lasting brain health.
“These findings emphasize the importance of adopting healthier habits before significant cognitive decline occurs,” says lead study author Daria Jensen, DPhil, a postdoctoral fellow at the University Medical Center Leipzig and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany. Dr. Jensen is also a visiting researcher at the University of Oxford in England.
Study Took a Close Look at Diet, Belly Fat, and Brain Health in Middle Age
The new analysis adds to existing evidence by looking at how changes in diet and waist-to-hip ratio during midlife could support brain structure and mental abilities later in life.
“BMI does not differentiate between muscle and fat, or indicate where fat is distributed in the body,” says Jensen.
Scientists examined data on diet quality for 512 participants and waist-to-hip measures in 664 participants. About 80 percent were male, with an average age of about 48. All participants were cognitively healthy at the study start.
Researchers took participants’ measurements five times over 21 years, and assessed their diet via questionnaire at three points over 11 years.
A higher diet score indicated a greater intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, legumes, omega-3 fats, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in fish, seeds, and nuts). Higher scores also reflected avoidance or low intake of sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juice, red and processed meat, trans fat, sodium, and avoidance or low consumption of alcohol.
Researchers also evaluated white matter in the brain using an MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which measures the movement of water molecules in the brain. White matter acts as the brain’s communication highways, facilitating efficient signal transmission between brain regions, according to Jensen.
At the time of the brain scans, researchers conducted cognitive tests to assess working memory, executive function, and fluency (the ease with which the brain processes information).
Healthy Eating and Slimmer Waists Tied to Better Brain Health
Jensen and her team found that higher diet quality in midlife and into older age was associated with better structural and functional connectivity of the hippocampus and better white matter integrity.
The research also tied lower waist-to-hip ratio in midlife to better performance on cognitive tests later in life. Conversely, a higher waist-to-hip ratio in midlife was linked with poorer working memory and poorer executive function.
Exercise Can Also Help Cut Belly Fat and Boost Brain Health
Beyond sticking to healthy eating habits, people seeking to lose harmful abdominal fat will find that exercise is also key.
“By increasing physical activity, you can lose visceral [belly] fat and gain muscle mass, increasing your metabolism,” Hara says.
“By focusing on modifiable lifestyle factors, individuals can take proactive steps to enhance their cognitive resilience and overall well-being, ultimately contributing to a healthier aging process,” says Jensen.
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