I have always felt that the types of foods we eat help determine who and what we are….I came across this article in The Daily Grind and thought that I would share it with you. It relates obesity with brain function.
WHAT YOU EAT MATTERS
New study links obesity with decreased brain function.
A study published this month in Radiology suggests a link between body fat and grey matter volume.
Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system located in the brain, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord. Grey matter includes areas of the brain involved in sensory perception, muscle control, memory, speech, emotion, decision making, and self-control.
The new study was led by Dr. Ilona A. Dekkers, who decided to investigate the relationship between body fat and brain matter after previous studies found a higher risk of cognitive decline among people with obesity.
THE DETAILS
Dekker’s team used cutting-edge MRI technology to examine more than 12,000 brain scans from patients in the UK.
–In men, a link between obesity and reduced grey matter volume in the brain.
–In women, a link between obesity a nd less matter in the globus pallidus – an area of the brain associated with voluntary movement.
“Interestingly, we observed that these associations are different for men and women, suggesting that gender is an important modifier of the link between fat percentage and the size of specific brain structures,” said Dr. Dekkers.
The reduced volumes were likely caused by obesity-related inflammation, which has been known to affect brain tissue. Based on previous studies linking grey matter with “food-reward circuitry,” a smaller amount of grey matter could make it more difficult for an obese individual to control his or her eating habits.
Eat well. Stay healthy!
