Midlife accumulation of visceral fat is linked to increased brain inflammation and a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease later on. This relationship emerged from findings presented at a major annual meeting hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
In a study mode that combined imaging and cognitive assessment, researchers looked at 54 adults aged 40 to 60. The average body mass index stood around 32, a figure that falls into the overweight range for most people. Participants underwent MRI scans to quantify both visceral fat, which surrounds the abdominal organs, and subcutaneous fat. In addition, MRI and PET scans were used to gauge cortical thickness and to detect hallmark Alzheimer’s features such as amyloid plaques and tau proteins in a subset of 32 individuals.
Results showed that a higher ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat correlated with greater amyloid protein deposition, with the association appearing stronger in men. Brain inflammation levels also rose in tandem with visceral fat. Notably, these brain changes can begin to appear in the average person around age 50, sometimes a decade or more before memory symptoms typical of Alzheimer’s disease surface.
The findings point to visceral fat as a potential target for strategies aimed at preventing dementia or slowing its progression. They also underscore the broader public health message about maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active across the lifespan, including in younger years, as part of a plan to protect brain health.
Earlier research has explored how certain nutritional and lifestyle factors influence heart and metabolic health. While this study emphasizes brain outcomes, it reinforces the idea that systemic inflammation linked to body fat can have wide-reaching effects, including on the brain. Ongoing work in this field aims to determine whether reducing visceral fat through diet, exercise, or medical interventions could lessen the accumulation of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes and possibly delay or prevent cognitive decline.
In addition to weight management, these insights remind clinicians and the public that brain health is connected to overall metabolic health. Regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and managing chronic conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes may contribute to lower brain inflammatory activity and a reduced risk of neurodegenerative disease. As research progresses, the medical community hopes to translate these findings into practical guidelines that can be adopted by individuals and health systems in Canada, the United States, and beyond.
It is important to note that this report summarizes associations observed in a relatively small group. While the link between visceral fat and brain changes is compelling, it does not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further large-scale, longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms involved and to determine how best to intervene to protect brain health across diverse populations.