“ Body fat is essential for overall health and functioning, but excess amounts can predispose people to higher levels of chronic inflammation, even in athletes.”
Obese BMI Associated with Worse Concussion Recovery
“ Body fat is essential for overall health and functioning, but excess amounts can predispose people to higher levels of chronic inflammation, even in athletes.”
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Clinicians who work with elite college athletes and military cadets should be aware of the association between higher body mass index( BMI) and worse concussion recovery, suggests new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine research published in Sports Medicine.
The study found that athletes and cadets with a BMI equal to or above 30 had increased inflammatory biomarkers, more severe concussion symptoms and worse cognition following a concussion than those with lower BMI.
These findings support previous research indicating that obesity correlates with increased inflammatory response in patients presenting to the emergency room with a mild traumatic brain injury.
The new paper suggests that the same association can also be observed in individuals who exercise regularly and vigorously, underscoring the importance of considering ways to minimize post-concussion inflammation, via dietary changes or aerobic exercise, to aid recovery.
“ Body fat is essential for overall health and functioning, but excess amounts can predispose people to higher levels of chronic inflammation, even in athletes,” said lead author Shawn Eagle, Ph. D., research assis-