Having this body type in middle age means youre more likely better brain health later in life
Want a sharper mind in your golden years? Start by trimming your waistline. A new study found that diet quality and waist-to-hip ratio in midlife are directly linked to brain health and cognitive function as we get older. “This message is alarming in light of the obesity pandemic.” Dr.Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah, a neurologist at Goethe University Frankfurt who wasn’t involved in the study, wrote in an accompanying editorial. Changes in the Western diet have played a major role in driving America’s obesity crisis, which is linked to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
It’s also the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia.More than six million Americans are currently living with the memory-robbing disease, a figure expected to reach 12 million by 2060 without intervention.Experts say these projections highlight the urgent need to prevent or slow dementia’s onset — starting with lifestyle changes like a healthier diet and regular exercise.Previous studies have suggested that midlife is a critical window for cognitive health interventions, but little was known about how long-term adherence to a high quality diet affects brain health as we age.To investigate the potential link, researchers used data from the Whitehall II Study, a 30-year longitudinal study tracking over 10,000 participants.
They monitored the waist and hip measurements of 664 middle-aged British civil servants over a 21-year period.At the same time, 512 participants filled out detailed diet questionnaires covering 11 factors, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fats and sugary drinks.When the participants hit their 70s, the scientists took brain scans and tested their cognitive performance.They found that those with lower hip-to-waist radio at the start of the study had better working memory, executive function and overall cognitive performance later on. Participants who stuck to healthier diets in midlife also showed...