Alzheimer's risk raised more by hidden 'skinny fat' than belly fat, study claims

20 November 2023 , 22:09

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Hidden fat can raise your risk of Alzheimer's, according to a new study (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

Large amounts of 'skinny fat' can increase your risk of Alzheimer's more than belly fat does, according to a new study.

Visceral fat, a 'hidden' type of fat which gathers around your organs, was found by researchers to contribute to development of dangerous proteins in the brain that can cause the devastating condition. These changes can be seen in the brain as early as 50 years of age, and up to 15 years before the earliest memory loss symptoms of the disease occur.

Risks were shown to be higher in people with a higher ratio of this hidden visceral fat compared to those with more normal belly fat, known as subcutaneous fat.

While the links between obesity and Alzheimer's are already known, scientists addressing the annual Radiology Society of North America meeting said the study now showed what kinds of fat contributed to the problem. Dr Mahsa Dolatshahi said: “Even though there have been other studies linking BMI with brain atrophy or even a higher dementia risk, no prior study has linked a specific type of fat to the actual Alzheimer’s disease protein in cognitively normal people. Similar studies have not investigated the differential role of visceral and subcutaneous fat, especially in terms of Alzheimer’s amyloid pathology, as early as midlife.”

Researchers also found that the relationship between fat and Alzheimer’s was higher in men than in women. The team studied data from 54 cognitively healthy participants, ranging in age from 40 to 60 years old, with an average BMI of 32. Participants went through glucose and insulin measurements as well as glucose tolerance tests. The study concluded that visceral fat should be targeted in future treatments to reduce the risk of dementia.

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Professor Cyrus Raji said: “This study highlights a key mechanism by which hidden fat can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It shows that such brain changes occur as early as age 50, on average-up to 15 years before the earliest memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer’s occur. By moving beyond body mass index in better characterising the anatomical distribution of body fat on MRI, we now have a uniquely better understanding of why this factor may increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease.”

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that often affects someone’s memory, way of thinking and behaviour. It is the most common cause of dementia in the UK, according to the NHS, and one in 14 people over the age of 65 are thought to be living with Alzheimer's.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas