Body weight variability and the risk of dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nationwide cohort study in Korea

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to examine the association between body weight variability and dementia risk using a large-scale cohort data of Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: A population-based cohort of 1,206,764 individuals with T2DM aged ≥ 40 years who underwent ≥ 3 Korean national health screenings were followed up until the end of 2019. Body weight variability was assessed using variability independent of the mean (VIM). A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression was performed with calculating hazard ratios (HRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of dementia incidence.

Results: During a median follow-up of 7.9 years, 162,615 (13.4 %) individuals developed dementia. Individuals with greater body weight variability tended to be associated with higher risk of all types of dementia (P for trend < 0.001). Individuals in the highest quartile of VIM showed 26 % (HR: 1.26, 95 % CI: 1.24-1.28), 33 % (HR: 1.33, 95 % CI: 1.30-1.36) and 28 % (HR: 1.28, 95 % CI: 1.23-1.33) higher risk for all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia, compared with those in the lowest quartile. These associations persisted in all body mass index categories (P for trend < 0.001).

Conclusions: Maintaining an appropriate body weight may help mitigate dementia risk in patients with T2DM.

Keywords: Body weight; Body weight variability; Cohort study; Dementia; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.