Medical Oddities: When Body Fat Gets to Your Head
From colds to cognition, these studies show how everyday science—viruses, fat, bones, herbs, even AI— meets fine the print.
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By
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Teraya Smith
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January 28, 2026
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1
Whole-body MRI in 26,000 UK Biobank participants revealed that body fat location impacts brain health more than overall BMI.
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2
Two harmful fat distribution patterns, pancreatic-predominant and 'skinny-fat', were linked to cognitive decline and neurologic conditions.
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3
Men with high-risk fat profiles exhibited accelerated brain aging, smaller brain volumes, and poorer cognitive performance.
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4
Rhinovirus infections are typically mild due to strong interferon responses, but impaired immunity can lead to severe respiratory illness.
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5
Anise, while traditionally viewed as a galactogogue, shows limited evidence for increasing milk supply and potential safety concerns.
