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. 2010;29(6):543-52.
doi: 10.1159/000314874. Epub 2010 Jul 3.

Overweight in midlife is related to lower cognitive function 30 years later: a prospective study with longitudinal assessments

Linda B Hassing  1 , Anna K Dahl, Nancy L Pedersen, Boo Johansson
Affiliations

Overweight in midlife is related to lower cognitive function 30 years later: a prospective study with longitudinal assessments

Linda B Hassing et al. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2010.

Abstract

Aim: To examine if the body mass index (BMI) in midlife is related to cognitive function 30 years later in a dementia-free sample.

Methods: BMI was reported in 1963 at age 50-60 years, and cognitive abilities were examined 30 years later in a longitudinal design with 5 measurement occasions at 2-year intervals (n = 417). The cognitive abilities examined included tests of long-term memory, short-term memory, speed, verbal and spatial ability.

Results: Multilevel modeling adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, and relevant diseases showed that a higher BMI in midlife predicted lower test performance 30 years later. Significant associations between BMI and level of performance were found in all cognitive abilities; however, a higher midlife BMI was not associated with steeper cognitive decline.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that midlife overweight is related to lower overall cognitive function in old age. The fact that BMI-related effects were noted in mean-level cognitive performance, whereas only one ability showed differences in slopes, suggests that the negative effect of overweight has an onset before the entry into very old age.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Level and change in cognitive abilities across the 5 waves in relation to BMI in midlife.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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