The Connection Between Waist Size and Future Brain Health

Have you ever measured your hip to hip ratio? Chances are, you probably haven’t. However, there is an important reason why you should start.

Recent research published in Nutrition, obesity, exercise suggests that these measurements may be linked to cognitive decline. The study found that individuals with smaller hips have a significantly lower risk compared to those with larger hips.

Feeling concerned about your numbers? Don’t worry too much just yet – researchers emphasize that your risk is not set in stone. Making healthier dietary choices can actively reduce the risk of cognitive decline and support long-term brain health.

BMI and Waist-to-Hip Ratio

While most scientists use Body Mass Index (BMI) to measure body size by comparing weight to height, this system has faced criticism for its inaccuracies. For instance, muscular individuals may be categorized as overweight even if they are not at risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

Therefore, researchers are increasingly turning to alternative measurements such as waist-to-hip ratios as a more accurate indicator of health risks related to size than BMI. According to the authors of the study, this measurement is more reliable.

“We found a connection between healthier waist-to-hip ratios and better cognitive function scores,” stated Dr. Dahlia Y Jensen in an interview with BBC Science Focus.

The study, which was published recently, examined the relationship between diet, body size, and brain health over several decades. 664 British civil servants had their waists and hips measured multiple times between the 1950s and 1960s over approximately 21 years.

Diet Evaluation and Brain Health Measurement

A group of 512 civil servants completed three dietary surveys between the ages of 48 and 60. Scientists assessed dietary quality based on various components including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fats, sugary drinks, meat, salt, and alcohol.

When participants reached about 70 years of age, brain scans were conducted to measure cognitive performance. The findings revealed that middle-aged individuals with healthier diets and slimmer hips had better brain health later in life.

Brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were used to analyze the brain structure of the participants, with a particular focus on the hippocampus.

“The hippocampus is crucial in dementia research, and numerous studies have highlighted its importance in memory and learning,” explained Jensen. While previous studies emphasized the significance of hippocampal volume, this study explored its associations with other brain regions.

“We observed a strong link between better diet, functional connectivity of the hippocampus with other brain regions, and waist-to-hip ratio,” Jensen added. Improved white matter connections associated with a slim waist indicated better communication between brain regions.

This suggests that individuals who follow healthier diets and maintain slimmer waists in middle age are at a reduced risk of cognitive decline and diseases like dementia later in life.

“If you’re looking to improve your brain health, it’s never too late to start, but the earlier, the better,” Jensen advised.

The study had some limitations, with only 20% of female participants as they were civil servants recruited in the 1980s. However, Jensen deemed the study “exciting” and believes it will aid in understanding the link between mid-age dietary health and future brain health.

Alzheimer’s Disease Association estimates that 982,000 people in the UK currently live with dementia. Jensen hopes the study will encourage a shift towards preventive healthcare.

About our experts:

Dr. Dahlia Y Jensen is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Cognitive Neuropathy Clinic, University Medical Center Leipzig, and the Department of Neurology at Max Planck Human Brain Science Institute in Germany. She also serves as a visiting researcher at the Oxford University School of Psychiatry and is a corresponding author of the study.

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