The common belief if that our weight can affect only our physical health and there’s absolutely no chance for it to affect our brain.
Obesity is certainly a horrible thing but it’s surely not so horrible that it will destroy the neurons in our brains right?
In fact, don’t many of us adopt a sedentary lifestyle to focus more on our career and work which basically involves sitting in front of a computer screen with take-out pizzas and gaining weight?
The Truth:
Well, here’s the harsh truth. As per a study, our weight can seriously affect the size of our brains and how quickly it deteriorates. Which means obesity and brain function are linked and that obesity can affect the white matter inside our skull. This not only leads to dementia, Alzheimer’s and depression but it also affects memory, language and visual skills. Battling obesity has never been this important.
The Research:
Scientists at the University of Cambridge did an experiment to see if obesity speeded up the brain shrinkage process that occurs naturally with age. The findings were published in the Neurobiology of Aging, titled ‘Obesity Associated With Increased Brain-Age From Mid-Life.’
The Procedure:
They tested 473 adults between the ages 20 to 87 of varying weights looking to for unusual differences in their comparative results. They found out that leaner middle-aged people had more white matter than those who were overweight. So the average 50-year-old obese individual had the brain matter of someone at least 10 years older than him.
In short, obesity deteriorates your brain.
Limitations:
However, this study does have some limitations. For instance, when the obese people were tested on their IQ, their overall cognitive ability remained unaffected thus hinting that more research needs to be done to establish the exact link between weight and brain function.
As Paul Fletcher, co-author of the research and psychiatry professor at the University of Cambridge says, “Going forward, older obese people should specifically be studied when it comes to obesity and premature ageing of the brain. We’re living in an ageing population, with increasing levels of obesity, so it’s essential that we establish how these two factors might interact since the consequences for health are potentially serious.”
What’s Important:
Nevertheless, white matter, often dubbed as the ‘subway of the brain’ is responsible for maintaining connections between different areas of the brain and controlling neuron response, so a decrease in white matter is definitely dangerous and can lead to further complications.
What You Should Do:
If you’re reading this, you’re either obese and panicking or, you’re not obese but still worried. However, there is no reason to panic or be anxious about this, as obesity, like diabetes and other serious ailments can be kept under control and even minimised with these two simple steps.
1. First off, get off the couch and get some exercise. The more active you remain, the better. Try to get into an exercise regime. You can join a gym or set up one in your own house, or if these options are too expensive, get creative. Use the stairs instead of the lift, stretch and do yoga, be more active in the house, do at least 20-30 sit ups every day and go for long walks to contemplate your life.
2. Eat healthy. Keep a food diary or use an app to track your calories. Either way, keep junk food to a minimum. Take cooking lessons if possible or consult a dietitian to make a special chart for you and reward yourself for sticking to it.
In short, prioritise your health before anything else in your life, and that includes your career and monthly salary. If you’re looking for more ideas to lose weight check out these articles:
10 Simple Natural Hacks To Help You Lose Weight Fast
Four Ways to Lose Weight Fast
The 10 Easiest And Most Effective Tips For Weight Loss
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