Have you ever thought that the effect of excess belly fat on your stomach is not limited to just your heart or diabetes, but it is directly affecting your brain health and memory? Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a renowned neurologist from the famous Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad has recently made a shocking revelation that how the increase in visceral fat in the body can become a major cause of dementia, decline in thinking ability and reduction in brain volume. Generally, people associate weight gain only with physical appearance, but from the point of view of medical science, this dangerous fat that surrounds the internal organs of the stomach is acting like a silent killer for your brain health.
How different and dangerous is ‘visceral fat’ from subcutaneous fat?
Often people are worried about the normal weight seen on the body or the fat (subcutaneous fat) accumulated under the skin, but according to neurologists, the real danger comes from the ‘visceral adipose tissue’ i.e. visceral fat that accumulates around the organs inside the abdomen. According to Dr. Sudhir Kumar, people who have high levels of this dangerous fat in their body have an increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and reduction in the size of the part of the brain (hippocampus) that is responsible for preserving our memory. This visceral fat gradually affects brain function by causing chronic low-grade inflammation within the body, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and damage to small blood vessels.
This is how it has a bad effect on memory and focus.
The growing belly starts affecting your mental health not only in old age, but many years before that. Studies have revealed that due to excessive visceral fat, problems like reduction in executive function, delay in processing information, distraction and weak memory performance start appearing prematurely. Dr. Sudhir says that this decline comes so silently that it is difficult to predict in the beginning, but if it is not taken care of in time, it can take the form of serious neurological problems. Especially for people who already have diabetes, high blood pressure or fatty liver, controlling visceral fat should be the biggest priority.
Reduce visceral fat with these easy changes in lifestyle
The good news is that unlike age or genetic factors, visceral fat can be completely controlled and reduced. Neurologists have suggested some very effective and science-backed measures to reduce this:
Regular Aerobic Exercise: Make cardio or aerobic workout a part of your daily routine.
Strength Training: Do weight lifting or muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week.
Healthy Diet: Adopt a Mediterranean-style diet that includes adequate amounts of protein and fiber.
get plenty of sleep: Getting 7 to 9 hours of deep and quality sleep every night is essential for brain health.
Pay attention to waist measurement instead of weight: Instead of relying solely on body weight machines, keep an eye on your waist circumference. According to experts, a waist-to-height ratio less than 0.5 is a measure of a healthy body.
Dr. Sudhir’s advice is to rely on natural methods instead of falling prey to expensive ‘fat-burning supplements’ available in the market. Losing visceral fat is the best long-term investment you can make in your future to keep your brain sharp, young and healthy for longer, as a fit waist guarantees a healthy brain.
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