Obesity and the Incredible Shinking Brain

As if obesity doesn't cause enough health problems  (increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and even some cancers to name a few),  there is now research that shows that obese people have eight percent less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. Eight percent! (Oh -- and lest I not forget to mention that its also been shown to reduce sexual activity).

The research was funded by the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Center for Research Resources, and the American Heart Association. The study scanned 94 people in their seventies. Their brains were found to appear 16 years older than the brains of lean individuals. People in the study who were classifed as overweight had 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appear to have aged prematurely by 8 years.

More than 300 million worldwide are now classified as obese, according to the World Health Organization. Another billion are overweight. Experts say the main causes are bad diet, including an increased reliance on highly processed foods (read fast and junk food).

Obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI), defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. A BMI over 25 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of over 30 as obese.

I don't know about you, but I need all the brain function (and surface) I can get. Just one more reason to eat healthy in an effort to stay fit and lean.