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Obesity Significantly Shrinks And Ages Brain Tissue, Study Says

As if you needed another reason to get and stay in shape, a new study has concluded that obese and overweight people have “significantly less” brain tissue than persons who are of normal weight.

Photo by algarius.

According to the study’s senior author, UCLA neuroscientist Paul Thompson, “the brains of obese people looked 16 years older than their healthy counterparts while [those of] overweight people looked 8 years older.” He added that “this is the first study to show physical evidence in the brain that connects overweight and obesity and cognitive decline.”

The study examined brain images of 94 people in their 70s over five years and concluded that subjects classified as clinically obese had eight percent less brain tissue, while overweight persons studied had four percent less brain tissue when compared to “normal” weight people.

We’ll take this opportunity to slightly nudge you to revisit our fitness and exercise posts.

As Waistlines Widen, Brains Shrink [U.S. News & World Report]

Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)

  • Wobble

    Now fat people will be called dumb and thin people are smarter. More discrimination. Thanks.

  • Chris

    Nice, if only all scientific studies had such large sample groups, we would have wiped ourselves off the planet long ago.

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