Changes in the immune system explain why belly fat is bad for thinking
12/17/2019
Research led by Auriel Willette assistant professor of food science and human nutrition and Brandon Klinedinst a PhD student in neuroscience looked at data from more than 4000 middle aged to older UK Biobank participants both men and women. The researchers examined direct measurements of lean muscle mass abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat and how they were related to changes in fluid intelligence over six years
Iowa State researchers have found for the first time that less muscle and more body fat may affect how flexible our thinking gets as we become older, and changes in parts of the immune system could be responsible. These findings could lead to new treatments that help maintain mental flexibility in aging adults with obesity, sedentary lifestyles, or muscle loss that naturally happens with aging.
The study, led by Auriel Willette, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, and Brandon Klinedinst, a Ph.D. student in neuroscience, looked at data from more than 4,000 middle-aged to older UK Biobank participants, both men and women. The researchers examined direct measurements of lean muscle mass, abdominal fat, and subcutaneous fat, and how they were related to changes in fluid intelligence over six years.
The research team discovered people mostly in their 40s and 50s who had higher amounts of fat in their midsection had worse fluid intelligence as they got older. Greater muscle mass, by contrast, appeared to be a protective factor. These relationships stayed the same even after taking into account chronological age, level of education, and socioeconomic status.
Read the full story on the Food Science and Human Nutrition website.
Key contacts
Auriel Willette, assistant professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition, 515-294-3110 awillett@iastate.edu
Whitney Baxter, communications coordinator, Food Science and Human Nutrition, 515-294-9166, wjsager@iastate.edu