Why BMI Matters for Brain Health
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a simple calculation that compares your weight to your height. It helps show whether your weight is in a healthy range.
People with a lot of muscles can have a higher BMI, but for most people, a high BMI means the body is storing more fat than is healthy. Extra body fat — especially around the stomach — is a risk factor that you can change.
- The Truth About Excess Fat
Fat stored around the stomach is especially unhealthy. This type of fat releases hormones that impacts how your body works and can throw your system out of balance. This imbalance can affect hunger signals, making you feel hungry even when your body doesn’t need more food. Excess body fat is also connected to other health conditions, such as high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Improving one of these conditions and areas of health can help with another.
You Have Control
Some of the most important steps to protect your brain are ones you can take yourself. Healthy lifestyle changes can lower your BMI and reduce the excess fat around your stomach:
- Adjusting Your Food Choices: What you eat plays a major role in reducing excess body fat. You can start with small changes in your diet, which can make a big difference.
- Add Physical Activity: Aim for about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week. Moving your body helps strengthen muscles and improves how your body uses energy. You can also start small with 10 minutes a day of doing workouts at home, like pushups, squats, and jumping jacks.
Partnering With Your Doctor
If you talk with your doctor about your weight, they may also check for other health risks such as high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. These conditions are connected and often occur together. Looking at the whole picture helps your doctor create a treatment plan that fits your needs.
- New Treatment Options: You may have heard about newer medications approved for weight loss. These treatments work by helping improve the hormone imbalance caused by excess body fat. They can also help you feel full sooner.
- Medication Is a Proactive Choice: If you and your doctor decide medication is right for you, view it as a proactive step, not a sign of failure. You should congratulate yourself for taking control.
- Communicate Honestly: If you experience any side effects from the new drugs, let your doctor know right away so they can adjust your treatment plan. Reducing excess fat can significantly decrease your risk of conditions that cause brain disease.
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