A new study has revealed that women who experience an expanding waistline during middle age are at a higher risk of developing dementia. Scientists have found that excessive belly fat in middle-aged women can be a red flag for cognitive decline.

一项新研究表明，中年女性腰围增加可能预示着更高的痴呆症风险。 学家发现，中年女性腹部脂肪过多可能是认知能力下降的预警信号。

The research, published in the journal Menopause, suggests that a woman's waist size could provide vital clues about her risk of mental decline as she gets older. Medics point out that weight gain, particularly around the midriff, is common during the perimenopause and post-menopause stages.

该研究发表于《更年期》期刊， 指出女性腰围尺寸可能为年老后精神衰退风险提供关键线索。 医疗专家强调，体重增加（尤其是腰部周围）在围绝经期和绝经后阶段尤为常见。

Such weight increases, coupled with the drop in oestrogen levels typical after menopause, are associated with reduced insulin sensitivity and heightened inflammatory processes. The latest study indicates that "central adiposity" - the medical term for excessive belly fat - is also a risk factor for cognitive decline.

这种体重增长与绝经后雌激素水平下降共同作用， 会导致胰岛素敏感性降低和炎症反应加剧。 最新研究指出，“中心性肥胖”（医学术语指腹部脂肪过多）也是认知能力下降的风险因素。

Health professionals highlight that visceral adipose tissue - the fat stored around various organs including the stomach, intestines, and liver - carries more health risks than overall body fat. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

健康专业人士指出，内脏脂肪组织（储存在胃、肠、肝等器官周围的脂肪） 比整体体脂携带更高健康风险。 包括糖尿病、高血压、心血管疾病和阿尔茨海默病。

The rise in inflammatory markers due to visceral fat and falling oestrogen levels during menopause appears to be a key factor in these disease processes. This has prompted researchers to suggest that measurements of central body fat - such as the waist-to-hip ratio - could act as "early and easily recognisable" indicators of risk for both metabolic and cognitive problems, as oestrogen receptors in the brain are concentrated in areas responsible for executive function and memory, reports Bristol Live.

内脏脂肪引发的炎症标志物升高与绝经期间雌激素水平下降，是这些疾病发生的关键机制。 腰部脂肪测量（如腰臀比）可能成为“早期且易识别”的 代谢和认知问题的风险指标， 据布里斯托尔直播报道，大脑中的雌激素受体集中在负责执行功能和记忆的区域。

Earlier clinical trials examining the link between hormone therapy and cognition produced inconsistent findings, depending on participants' ages. This prompted researchers in the latest study to explore further the connection between central body fat, cognitive function, and hormone therapy use in women who had recently entered menopause.

早期临床试验中，激素治疗与认知能力关联的研究结果因参与者年龄差异而呈现不一致性。 这促使最新研究进一步探索中心性肥胖、认知功能 及激素治疗使用在初经绝经女性中的关联。

The study included more than 700 women aged between 42 and 58 who were less than 36 months past natural menopause. Participants were split into three groups - those given oral conjugated equine oestrogen, those given transdermal estradiol, and those given a placebo.

研究对象为700余名42-58岁女性，她们自然绝经后不超过36个月。 被分为三组：口服结合型马雌激素组、经皮雌二醇组 和安慰剂组。

Central body fat was assessed using waist-to-hip ratio measurements. The researchers found that women with a higher baseline waist-to-hip ratio showed worse performance across all cognitive measures, with only changes in visual attention and executive function observed over the four-year study period.

通过腰臀比测量评估中心性肥胖后， 研究人员发现：基线腰臀比较高的女性在所有认知测试中表现更差， 四年研究期内仅在视觉注意力和执行功能方面观察到变化。

Dr Taryn James, a study co-author from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, stated: "Central adiposity was not found to moderate hormone therapy when compared with placebo cognitive domain-specific outcomes."

威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的该研究合著者Taryn James博士表示： “与安慰剂组相比，中心性肥胖并未显著调节激素治疗的认知领域特异性结果。"

The researchers, based on their findings, recommend that the cognitive health effects should be examined in early postmenopausal women, even those with low cardiovascular risk statuses. Dr Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society, has welcomed these findings.

基于研究结果，团队建议应关注初经绝经女性的认知健康影响， 即使其心血管风险较低。 更年期协会副医学主任Monica Christmas博士对此表示欢迎，

She said: "Addressing modifiable risk factors early and often is critical to maintaining optimal health and independence as women age. The metabolic and cognitive changes that commonly occur during and after the menopause transition often catch women off guard and are more difficult to address after the diagnosis has been made."

她指出：“尽早且持续干预可改变的风险因素，对女性维持老年健康与独立至关重要。 更年期过渡期常见的代谢和认知变化常让女性措手不及，确诊后再干预难度更大。”

Furthermore, Dr Christmas added: "Instituting preventive lifestyle strategies before the menopause transition will result in longitudinal health gains and reduced morbidity and mortality."

Christmas博士补充道： “在更年期过渡前建立预防性生活方式策略，将带来长期健康收益并降低发病率和死亡率。”