Study Reveals Deep Belly Fat Accelerates Brain Aging
New research shows that visceral fat in the abdomen speeds up brain aging, while higher muscle mass helps maintain a younger, healthier brain.
A recent scientific study highlighted a strong connection between body fat distribution and brain health, revealing that deep visceral fat in the abdomen may accelerate biological brain aging, whereas increased muscle mass supports a younger brain.
The study, scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Radiology in Chicago, found that individuals with higher muscle mass and lower visceral fat displayed a younger brain age when assessed using MRI scans.
Dr. Cyrus Raji, lead researcher at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University, explained that healthier bodies with stronger muscles and less abdominal fat often have younger brains. He noted that maintaining brain health helps reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Biological brain age is estimated through MRI-based structural analysis, while body imaging assesses muscle mass as an indicator of physical strength and a healthy lifestyle.
Researchers emphasized that muscle loss and increased abdominal fat with age affect not only physical health but also directly accelerate brain aging, making an active lifestyle and maintaining muscle mass key factors in supporting long-term brain health.
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