Subcutaneous fat protects women from brain inflammation, scientists from Augusta University have found. The study was published in the journal Diabetes.

Men tend to have a greater tendency to deposit fat around their major abdominal organs. Such fat is called visceral fat and by itself increases inflammation levels in the body. Obese women also accumulate fat, but they have more subcutaneous fat and less visceral fat compared to men.

Biologists have studied the changes that occur in mice when they gain weight on fatty foods. Scientists found no signs of brain inflammation or insulin resistance until the female mice reached menopause.

At about 48 weeks, the females began to accumulate visceral fat. At the same time, estrogen and other sex hormone levels did not change. This could mean that it is not estrogen that protects against inflammation, but rather low visceral fat and high subcutaneous fat.