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A team of researchers from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China reached this conclusion. Their study also found that people with stronger muscles are less likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases.
These diseases involve the gradual loss of nerve cell function and eventual cell death. They include dementia (with Alzheimer’s disease as its most severe form) and Parkinson’s disease.
The researchers suggested that losing excess fat in the arms and torso while building healthy muscle could help protect against these conditions—possibly more than general weight loss.
What Scientists Discovered
The team analyzed data from 412,691 people in the UK Biobank. The average age of participants was 56, and they were followed for nine years.
The researchers measured body composition, including waist and hip circumference, grip strength, bone density, and overall fat and muscle mass.
Throughout the study, 8,224 participants developed neurodegenerative diseases, as reported by the Independent.
The results showed that people with high levels of arm fat had an 18 percent higher risk of developing these diseases compared with those who had low arm fat. Those with high abdominal fat had a 13 percent higher risk than people with lower abdominal fat.
By contrast, participants with higher muscle strength had a 26 percent lower risk of developing neurodegenerative disease than those with low muscle strength.
The team suggested that some of the link between fat accumulation and neurodegenerative disease may be explained by cardiovascular disease that developed during the study period.
Key Takeaways
Professor Huang Song, the lead author of the study, said these neurodegenerative diseases affect more than 60 million people worldwide and that number is expected to grow as populations age.
The study points to opportunities to reduce risk by improving body composition rather than focusing solely on overall weight. Targeted efforts to reduce fat deposits in the torso and arms while building healthy muscle may offer stronger protection than general weight management.
Treating cardiovascular disease promptly may also help prevent the later development of neurodegenerative conditions.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology.
