The results showed that retired professional football players who are overweight are more at risk of suffering from disorders of thinking and memory.
Daniel Amen and colleagues of Amen Clinics in Newport Beach, Calif.., In Translational Psychiatry said that obesity is a growing epidemic in youth, college and professional football player.
Until now no studies that presents the impact of overweight on brain function to professional athletics. However, the results showed a negative trend as long-term consequences on brain health may even cause complications.
The researchers say that the athletes who had concussions will experience repeated trauma that increase the risk for brain function problems. The results also showed that excess weight will add additional risk.
Excess Weight Adds Additional Risks
In the study, researchers compared the blood flow in the brain in 38 healthy-weight and 38 overweight retired NFL players.
The results showed that football players are overweight have decreased blood flow in brain regions associated with attention, reasoning, and organizing and planning functions.
The football players are overweight decreased performance on tests measuring attention and memory.
In addition to the obvious risk factors of recurrent concussions in sports, researchers say being overweight can increase the risk for further neurological problems.
For example, obesity increases the release of inflammatory markers associated with impaired brain function.
If these results are confirmed by further research, the researchers say weight loss and management education may be important for the future health of athletes who have been exposed to repetitive brain trauma in sports.
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