Obesity linked to loss of brain tissue, dementia

[OldCityTans]

Looks like there is yet another reason to watch your weight. New studies are showing a genetic link between obesity & loss of brain tissue, mainly for white people.

They found that there was consistently less tissue in the brains of those who carry the FTO allele, compared with non-carriers. Individuals with the "bad" version of the FTO gene had an average of 8 percent less tissue in the frontal lobes, the "command center" of the brain, and 12 percent less in the occipital lobes, areas in the back of the brain responsible for vision and perception. Further, the brain differences could not be directly attributed to other obesity-related factors such as cholesterol levels, diabetes or high blood pressure.

Thompson called the findings worrying and mysterious.

"The results are curious. If you have the bad FTO gene, your weight affects your brain adversely in terms of tissue loss," he said. "If you don't carry FTO, higher body weight doesn't translate into brain deficits; in fact, it has nothing to do with it. This is a very mysterious, widespread gene."

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AND if that weren't enough, NYT is reporting a link between obesity & dementia.

Being fat is bad for your brain.

That, at least, is the gloomy conclusion of several recent studies. For example, one long-term study of more than 6,500 people in northern California found that those who were fat around the middle at age 40 were more likely to succumb to dementia in their 70s.
...

Whatever the causes, the implications are grave. In the United States today, around one-third of adults are obese. At the same time, dementia is already one of the most costly and devastating health problems of old age. The possibility that obesity today will lead to higher rates of dementia in the future is, therefore, deeply alarming.

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[ShoshTrvls]

Well, not really a reason to watch (as in "lose") weight if the link is genetic; you either have the gene or you don't, and spending 10 hrs/day at a gym isn't going to change that.

[OldCityTans]

but the news is not necessarily completely negative, thompson said, because "carriers of the risk gene can exercise and eat healthily to resist both obesity and brain decline."

thompson sees both a public health message and a science message in this finding.

"half of the world carries this dangerous gene. But a healthy lifestyle will counteract the risk of brain loss, whether you carry the gene or not. So it's vital to boost your brain health by being physically active and eating a balanced diet," he said.

from 1st link