Researchers already know that the size of the brain can determine its health and function.

However, they know much less about what affects brain size itself.

According to Mark Hamer, a professor at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom:

"Existing research has linked brain shrinkage to memory decline and a higher risk of dementia, but research on whether extra body fat is protective or detrimental to brain size has been inconclusive."

Prof. Hamer is one of the authors of a new study focusing on the impact of body fat on brain size.

Published in the journal Neurology, the study used a particularly large sample size in comparison with others on the same topic.

In total, 9,652 people involved in the UK Biobank — which is a database that tracks the health of around 500,000 people — agreed to take part. Participants were aged 55, on average.

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