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. 2023 Nov 24;23(1):773.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-04483-z.

Association between BMI trajectories in late-middle age and subsequent dementia risk in older age: a 26-year population-based cohort study

Zijian Qin #  1 , Zheran Liu #  1 , Ruidan Li #  1 , Yaxin Luo  2 , Zhigong Wei  1 , Ling He  1 , Yiyan Pei  1 , Yonglin Su  3 , Xiaolin Hu  4 , Xingchen Peng  5
Affiliations

Association between BMI trajectories in late-middle age and subsequent dementia risk in older age: a 26-year population-based cohort study

Zijian Qin et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: The association between body mass index (BMI) and dementia risk differs depending on follow-up time and age at BMI measurement. The relationship between BMI trajectories in late-middle age (50-65 years old) and the risk of dementia in older age (> 65 years old) has not been revealed.

Methods: In the present study, participants from the Health and Retirement Study were included. BMI trajectories were constructed by combining BMI trend and variation information. The association between BMI trajectories at the age of 50-65 years and dementia risk after the age of 65 years was investigated. Participants with European ancestry and information on polygenic scores for cognitive performance were pooled to examine whether genetic predisposition could modify the association.

Results: A total of 10,847 participants were included in the main analyses. A declining BMI trend and high variation in late-middle age were associated with the highest subsequent dementia risk in older age compared with an ascending BMI trend and low variation (RR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.45-2.13). Specifically, in stratified analyses on BMI trajectories and dementia risk based on each individual's mean BMI, the strongest association between a declining BMI trend with high variation and elevated dementia risk was observed in normal BMI group (RR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.72-4.1). Similar associations were found when participants were stratified by their genetic performance for cognition function without interaction.

Conclusions: A declining BMI trend and high variation in late-middle age were associated with a higher risk of dementia. Early monitoring of these individuals is needed to prevent dementia in older individuals.

Keywords: Body mass index; Dementia; Genetic performance; Population-based cohort study.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The association between BMI trajectories and risk of dementia stratified by mean BMI groups. Models were adjusted for sex, ethnicity, levels of education, year of age 65, marital status, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, history of medical conditions, and mean BMI group
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The association between BMI trajectories and dementia risk stratified by PGS. Models were adjusted for sex, levels of education, year of age 65, marital status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of medical conditions, mean BMI group, and PC1-5. PGS: polygenetic score
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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