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Review
. 2017 Jun 20:8:165-178.
doi: 10.1016/j.dadm.2017.05.007. eCollection 2017.

Body mass index in midlife and dementia: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 589,649 men and women followed in longitudinal studies

Emiliano Albanese  1 , Lenore J Launer  2 , Matthias Egger  3 , Martin J Prince  4 , Panteleimon Giannakopoulos  1 , Frank J Wolters  5 , Kieren Egan  6
Affiliations
Review

Body mass index in midlife and dementia: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 589,649 men and women followed in longitudinal studies

Emiliano Albanese et al. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). .

Abstract

Introduction: We conducted a meta-analysis of the conflicting epidemiologic evidence on the association between midlife body mass index (BMI) and dementia.

Methods: We searched standard databases to identify prospective, population-based studies of dementia risk by midlife underweight, overweight, and obesity. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions of adjusted relative risk (RR) estimates and formally explored between-study heterogeneity.

Results: We included 19 studies on 589,649 participants (2040 incident dementia cases) followed up for up to 42 years. Midlife (age 35 to 65 years) obesity (BMI ≥ 30) (RR, 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.63), but not overweight (25 < BMI < 30) (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.96-1.20), was associated with dementia in late life. The association with midlife underweight (RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.13-1.70) was potentially driven by residual confounding (P from meta-regression = .004), selection (P = .046), and information bias (P = .007).

Discussion: Obesity in midlife increases the risk of dementia. The association between underweight and dementia remains controversial.

Keywords: BMI; Body mass index; Dementia; Meta-analysis; Obesity.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Identification and selection of eligible studies.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Adjusted dementia relative risk by midlife underweight compared with normal body mass index.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Adjusted dementia relative risk by midlife overweight compared with normal body mass index.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Adjusted dementia relative risk by midlife obesity compared with normal body mass index.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Pooled dementia risks by midlife underweight, overweight, and obesity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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