ByJUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

MAY 16, 2026 08:22

A pioneering long-term MRI investigation at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba reveals that lower buildup of abdominal visceral fat connects with notably slower brain shrinkage, retention of vital brain regions, and stronger cognitive results in late midlife, separate from overall weight reduction.

The results indicate that the connection between abdominal fat and brain aging occurs mainly via improved glucose regulation and insulin response.

This research marks the first effort to connect repeated MRI scans of cumulative visceral fat with extended brain aging patterns and mental function. The outcomes appeared in Nature Communications under the heading Sustained visceral fat loss is associated with attenuated brain atrophy and improved cognitive function in late midlife.

The most extensive and prolonged investigation yet to tie cumulative visceral fat exposure with brain metrics from MRI scans and rates of brain aging plus cognitive ability was directed by BGU Prof. Iris Shai, also Dean of the School of Sustainability at Reichman University and an adjunct professor at Harvard University. Leipzig University in Germany and Tulane University in New Orleans joined the project.

Dr. Dafna Pachter, the lead author, noted: Weight by itself fails to capture the deep metabolic shifts inside the body. We observed that even with limited weight change, ongoing drops in visceral fat measured throughout the period link to maintained brain structure and reduced atrophy speed.

Body fat serves useful purposes

Body fat often faces criticism as universally harmful, yet this view overlooks key facts. It involves more than scale numbers or calorie intake. Several varieties exist, and while frequently misjudged, fat performs roles that support health. Location, type, stored amount, and balance among fat kinds determine potential risks.

The primary categories include brown fat, white fat, and visceral fat. Brown fat contains iron-rich mitochondria that create most chemical energy for cell reactions, giving it color.

Brown fat stores and burns energy to control body temperature through heat production without muscle activity. Direct changes to brown fat levels prove difficult, yet activation occurs via cooler temperatures, diet choices, and exercise. It appears mainly in the neck, upper back, and shoulders, with final adult amounts varying by genetics, nutrition, and habits.

Healthy fats such as omega-3s in salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring, walnuts, flaxseed, and fish oil supplements can boost brown fat activity. This raises resting energy use, aiding weight control and long-term management, according to the team.

White fat holds extra calories for later energy needs. It assists absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K while influencing hormone balance through release of substances like leptin and insulin. White fat sits under the skin and can be pinched, such as on the arm.

Visceral fat, however, wraps around the liver, stomach, and intestines inside the abdominal wall. Excess amounts create pressure on organs and fuel ongoing inflammation, Shai noted. This process sparks metabolic problems that raise chances of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol, even among lean individuals.

Visceral fat represents deep abdominal storage around organs including the liver, pancreas, and intestines.

Excess shows up mainly through waist measurement at the navel, exceeding 90 centimeters for women or 102 cm for men. A waist-to-hip ratio above 0.85 for women or 0.90 for men also signals high visceral fat.

An apple body shape, with weight gain focused in the midsection, aligns more with visceral fat than a pear shape. Abdominal ultrasound offers clues about internal visceral fat levels.

The most precise though costly options for health funds involve CT or MRI scans that separate visceral from subcutaneous fat, plus blood checks for high triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, or liver fat markers.

Fortunately visceral fat responds well to lifestyle shifts such as limiting processed foods while increasing fiber, performing regular aerobic activity like walking plus resistance training, lowering stress to cut cortisol, and securing seven to nine hours of sound sleep. These steps can cut visceral fat substantially within six months, though gains reverse without continued effort, Shai cautioned.

The project drew on advanced MRI imaging of brain and abdomen in 533 women and men in late midlife tracked for five to 16 years after they joined four major long-term diet trials: DIRECT, CASCADE, CENTRAL, and DIRECT-PLUS.

Follow-up included repeated MRI scans of visceral fat and brain structures plus cognitive testing via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a standard 10-minute 30-point tool for spotting mild impairment and early Alzheimer's signs.

Results show lower visceral fat accumulation over time linked to higher MoCA scores, plus retention of total brain volume, gray matter volume, and Hippocampal Occupancy Score, a key indicator of brain aging and memory. At the same time, slower growth of brain ventricles appeared, a recognized sign of reduced atrophy.

The outcomes highlight glucose control and visceral fat cuts as measurable, changeable targets in midlife that carry real promise to slow brain decline and lower cognitive risk, Shai stated.

A distinctive long-term follow-up with three brain MRI scans over five years in a participant subgroup found that consistently high visceral fat levels tied to quicker brain volume loss, especially in the hippocampus, and faster ventricle enlargement.

These patterns did not appear for subcutaneous fat, whether superficial or deep, or for body mass index, underscoring the specific role of visceral fat.

Further, visceral fat drops during an 18-month diet program predicted stronger brain structure preservation five and 10 years later, even after accounting for weight loss and other variables. Thus the abdominal fat reduction itself, rather than weight change alone, drove the long-term brain benefits.

The practical implications carry weight. With rising global obesity, cognitive loss, and dementia rates, spotting changeable risk factors for mental decline stands as a key public health goal, the researchers concluded.