In the latest Alzheimer’s research, hidden fat in various parts of the body was shown to be an early warning sign of the common dementia — as much as 20 years before symptoms emerged.

The physicians tied a specific type of body fat, known as visceral fat, to higher levels of abnormal proteins in the brain that are indicators of Alzheimer’s. Visceral fat builds up around and between internal organs and can increase the risk of serious health issues. It is different than subcutaneous fat, which is fat just below the skin.

People who are obese and harbor deep belly fat are at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's disease-specific proteins in the brain up to 20 years before the earliest dementia symptoms, a new study suggests.

Excessive belly fat may start causing Alzheimer’s disease 20 years before symptoms emerge, new research suggests.