Body Positivity and its Powerful Impact on Obesity

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Fat content in daily dietary intake is significant when taken in the right proportion and healthier when people avoid the bad fats. Fats play essential roles in our body by helping carriage, absorption, and storage of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K into the bloodstream. They also enhance the regulation of body temperature. Moreover, they provide some cushioning on body organs which helps in protection from injury.

On a varying extreme, there exist dangers associated with fats (bad fats, such as saturated fats and trans-fats). In this article, we take a perspective on bad fats and how they lead to brain shrinking. We will also be addressing questions such as, “is saturated fat bad?” as we look into foods that have the potential to lead to brain shrinkage.

According to the Journal of Physiology, a high-fat diet is dangerous because it can leave some fat in the brain. The study outlines that a high intake of dietary fat increases the lipid content of the brain tissue, which endangers brain functionality by interfering with vital brain regulatory systems, among others.

Studies have intimated that being obese or overweight has some relationship with cognitive performance and executive function, to be specific. The findings established that Obesity has a high likelihood of increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and that adiposity (having too much fatty tissue in the body) is related to Gray or White Matter Atrophy in the frontal PFC and the frontal lobe in younger adults and cohorts.

Studies have depicted that it is possible to notice brain shrinkage in obese people as early as their Middle Ages. A study conducted in the United Kingdom found out that people with higher body fat levels showed significant differences in brain structure compared to thinner people. Among the notable differences was a lower volume of gray matter in people with higher body fat than those with low-fat levels.

The gray matter brain tissue usually contains the brain’s nerve cells, while the white matter tissue usually contains fibers that connect the various parts of the brain. As a result, past and present researches have linked Obesity and gray matter shrinkage to heightened chances of developing dementia (mental deterioration of organic or functional origin) in old age.

Most studies have also reached that more factors could be responsible for obesity-related brain shrinkage. Some could include a poor diet, lack of exercise, or Fat. Therefore, there is the need to continue further related research on the area.

Effect of body fat on brain function

Investigations are on course to study the effects of body fat on brain function. As pointed out in the studies conducted so far, there is significant brain shrinkage associated with high-fat levels in the brain. According to the studies, one theory puts out that body fat-related brain damage is usually a chain-of-events-type of scenario. For example, there is a strong link between insulin resistance and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s; ordinarily. Typically, insulin resistance is associated with increased fatty acids, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Other theories relate the occurrence with certain kinds of fats. According to the National Institute of Heal (NIH), visceral fats are the most damaging fats; usually, they increase a person’s chances of developing insulin resistance. Moreover, belly fat can produce hormones that greatly hinder cognitive functionalities.

Notably, there is a strong relationship between body fat content and most body conditions, including brain damage and shrinkage. Often referred to as Adipose tissue, body fat is at the center of causing inflammation to the brain and other related effects.

Ways Body Fats Usually Affect the Brain

1. Obesity makes people more impulsive: Orbitofrontal Cortex, a region of the brain that helps control impulsivity, has been noted to be shrunken in obese children compared to lean children. Studies have revealed that the more shrunk the region is, the more likely the children will eat impulsively.

2. Obesity raises the chances of developing dementia: Food containing more belly fat has a significant relationship with reduced total brain volume amongst middle-aged adults. Studies suggested that the extra fat triggers inflammation, which puts stress on the body, impacting the brain.

3. Obesity causes harm to an individual’s brain: Obesity leads to memory impairment. Studies have established that a 1-point increase in a woman’s body mass index (BMI) is associated with a 1-point decrease on a 100-point memory test. Typically, hormones released by body fats can impair an individual’s memory by causing inflammation, affecting cognition.

What fats to avoid? Is saturated fat good or bad?

When looking at all the damages that body fats can cause to an individual’s brain, it is vital to differentiate the inappropriate fats from the appropriate ones and avoid them. Unhealthy and bad fats that people should avoid are:

1. Trans fats

There are small amounts of Trans fats found in dairy products and meat. However, the harmful Trans fats to avoid are the artificial ones. They are dangerous in that they can raise bad LDL cholesterol and lower good HDL levels. These fats usually create the inflammation associated with brain damage, stroke, insulin resistance, and other chronic conditions. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlaws Trans-fats, while, at the same time, the World Health Organization advises other governments to cease using trans fats by 2023.

Trans fat sources: The primary sources of Trans fats include: Commercially-baked pastries, doughnuts, pizza dough, muffins, cookies Stick margarine Packaged snack foods Fried foods (French fries, chicken nuggets, breaded fish) Foods that contain hydrogenated vegetable oils

2. Saturated Fat: Is saturated fat bad for you?

While it does not appear to be as harmful as trans-fat, saturated fats also raise bad LDL cholesterol significantly, of which high levels of it can negatively affect the heart. Nutritionists guide people to reduce their intake of saturated fats to a maximum daily intake of about 10% of an individual’s total daily consumption.

The primary sources of saturated fat include: Butter Lard Palm oil and coconut oil Red meat (lamb, beef, and pork) Chicken skin Whole-fat dairy products

Final Thought

Excess body fats can harm the body in different ways, leading to many life-threatening conditions. It is proven beyond doubt that body fats can shrink an individual’s brain and hinder its brain functions. It is good to be cautious when consuming any diet that contains bad fats (saturated fats and trans-fats) primary sources.