Associations of Cognitive Function with BMI, Body Fat Mass and Visceral Fat in Young Adulthood

Association between weight-adjusted-waist index and cognitive decline in US elderly participants

Objective

To investigate the association between the weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) and cognitive decline in elderly Americans from 2011 to 2014.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,762 elderly participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) between 2011 and 2014. WWI was calculated by dividing waist circumference (cm) by the square root of body weight (kg). Participants assessed their cognitive functions using tests such as the DSST, AFT, and CERAD W-L. In this research, multiple logistic regression, HIA, limited cubic spline (RCS), and threshold effect analysis methods were utilized to explore the relationship between cognitive decline and WWI.

Results

The study involved 2,762 participants aged 60 years and older, comprising 1,353 males (49%) and 1,409 females (51%), with a median age of 69.3 years (standard deviation = 6.7). The analysis revealed that the risk of cognitive decline was positively associated with the WWI. Fully adjusted models indicated significant correlations with the CERAD W-L [odds ratio (OR) = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.46, p < 0.008], AFT (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.08-1.49, p = 0.003), and DSST (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.29-1.9, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a consistent relationship across different population settings except for gender (average of interactions, p > 0.05). A J-shaped relationship between WWI and low DSST scores was observed using multivariate restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression (P for non-linearity <0.05), with the curve steepening when WWI ≥ 12.21 cm/√kg. Additionally, the study found that WWI was more strongly associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline than other obesity indicators such as Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and A Body Shape Index (ABSI).

Conclusion

Our data have shown a significant positive association between the WWI and a higher risk of cognitive decline in older Americans, with a J-shaped non-linear relationship between WWI and DSST. In addition, our findings indicate that WWI was associated with greater cognitive decline than other markers of obesity.

Working memory gating in obesity: Insights from a case-control fMRI study

Computational models and neurophysiological data propose that a 'gating mechanism' coordinates distractor-resistant maintenance and flexible updating of working memory contents: While maintenance of information is mainly implemented in the prefrontal cortex, updating of information is signaled by phasic increases in dopamine in the striatum. Previous literature demonstrates structural and functional alterations in these brain areas, as well as differential dopamine transmission among individuals with obesity, suggesting potential impairments in these processes. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an observational case-control fMRI study, dividing participants into groups with and without obesity based on their BMI. We probed maintenance and updating of working memory contents using a modified delayed match to sample task and investigated the effects of SNPs related to the dopaminergic system. While the task elicited the anticipated brain responses, our findings revealed no evidence for group differences in these two processes, neither at the neural level nor behaviorally. However, depending on Taq1A genotype, which affects dopamine receptor density in the striatum, participants with obesity performed worse on the task. In conclusion, this study does not support the existence of overall obesity-related differences in working memory gating. Instead, we propose that potentially subtle alterations may manifest specifically in individuals with a 'vulnerable' genotype.

Interactive Relations of Body Mass Index, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Sex to Cognitive Function in Older Adults

OBJECTIVE

The course of cognitive aging is influenced by multiple health factors. This cross-sectional study investigated the interactive relations between body mass index (BMI), maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), and sex on neuropsychological outcomes in community-dwelling predominantly older adults.

METHODS

Participants were 164 healthy adults [M (SD) = 64.6 (12.5) years, 56% men, 87% white] who participated in an investigation of cardiovascular risk factors and brain health. Multivariable regression analysis, adjusted for age, education, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and depression, examined the interactive relations of BMI, VO2max, and sex to multiple neuropsychological outcomes.

RESULTS

Significant BMI*VO2max*sex interactions for Grooved Pegboard dominant (p = .019) and nondominant (p = .005) hands revealed that men with lower VO2max (l/min) displayed worse performance with each hand as BMI increased (p's < .02). A significant BMI*sex interaction for Logical Memory-Delayed Recall (p = .036) (after adjustment for blood glucose) showed that men, but not women, with higher BMI demonstrated worse performance (p = .036). Lastly, significant main effects indicated that lower VO2max was related to poorer logical memory, and higher BMI was associated with poorer Trail Making B and Stroop interference scores (p's < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Among men, higher cardiorespiratory fitness may protect against the negative impact of greater BMI on manual dexterity and motor speed, making VO2max a target for intervention. Higher BMI is further associated with poorer executive function and verbal memory (in men), and lower VO2max is associated with poorer verbal memory.

Body composition is related to cognitive function among young adults in Ghana

BACKGROUND

A growing body of evidence suggests that obesity can affect cognitive function. However, it is unclear whether this effect is independent of obesity-related comorbidities. This study thus sought to determine the association between body composition and cognitive function of young adults in Ghana with less predisposition to obesity-related comorbidities.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving 381 participants recruited by simple random sampling. After consenting, participants completed questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, along with assessments for anthropometric measures and cognitive function. Analyses for associations were conducted by either Pearson's correlation test or chi-Square test of independence.

RESULTS

Over half (60%) of participants were females and 69.6% were in the first year with a mean age of 20.18 ± 2.52 years. Based on Pearson's correlation test, no significant association was found between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR), and Trail Making Test-A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B). Nonetheless, a chi-square test showed a significant association, between BMI and TMT-A (p = 0.01), and WHR and both TMT-A (p = 0.001) and TMT-B (p = 0.02). Weak direct correlations were found between body fat percentage and TMT-A (r = 0.120, p = 0.019) and TMT-B (r = 0.133, p = 0.009). Further, a weak inverse correlation was found between muscle mass and TMT-A (r = - 0.141, p = 0.006) and TMT-B (r = - 0.144, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

High body fat, low muscle mass and body fat distribution may have a significant association with cognitive functions and must be considered in obesity interventions. This study provided more insight on the association between BMI and cognitive function and would be helpful in designing new weight management interventions or modifying existing interventions to consider the influence of obesity on cognitive function.

Association between physical activity, body composition, and cognitive performance among female office workers

Regular physical activity can potentially prevent cognitive decline. While most studies focused on the general decline of the elderly and child and adolescent population, aging is a gradual process and cognitive decline can commence in middle age. Other than the middle-aged working population, gender-specific nuances are another overlooked area regarding the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance. Therefore, this study examines the associations and benefits of maintaining regular physical activity habits with cognitive function and body composition in middle-aged female office workers. The results show that middle-aged females exhibited age-related declines in working memory, while no significant age-related changes are observed in reaction time and executive function. However, the regular exercise group demonstrates the ability to maintain their cognitive performance across age, unlike the sedentary group, who experiences declines in reaction time and executive function with age. Our findings highlight the significant impact of age on specific cognitive functions in middle-aged females and the positive influence of regular exercise on cognitive performance. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential of "the Brain Gym" App for efficient cognitive function assessment. The findings underscore the importance of regular exercise for cognitive well-being in middle-aged females and provide valuable insights into the relationship between body composition and cognitive function.

Solanum melongena extract supplementation protected skeletal muscle and brain damage by regulation of BDNF/PGC1α/irisin pathway via brain function-related myokines in high-fat diet induced obese mice

In this study, we investigated the protective effects of SM on skeletal muscle and brain damage by regulation of BDNF/PGC1α/irisin pathway via brain function related myokines in high-fat diet-induced OB mice. OB was induced by high-fat diet for 6 weeks. SM extract (SME) was administered with 200 mg/kg BW (LSM) and 500 mg/kg BW (HSM) by oral gavage every day for 12 weeks. Behavior tests such as grip strength, Y-maze, and passive avoidance test were conducted to analyze muscle and cognitive function. Histopathological changes in skeletal muscle and brain were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the protein levels of biomarkers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, protein degradation, neuro-plasticity, and cell cycling were measured by western blot. SME regulated morphological changes (muscle cross-sectional area: 1.23%, 1.40%; density of neurons in hippocampus:1.74%, 1.73%) in T2DM mice. Importantly, SME supplementation significantly increased several muscle-derived myokines which might influence the expression of neuronal markers in OB mice (FGF21: 1.27%, 1.34%; PGC1α: 1.0%, 1.32%; IRISIN: 1.9%, 1.08%; BDNF: 1.35%, 1.23%). Accordingly, SME activated hippocampal neurotrophic factors including BDNF (1.0%, 1.2%) and its associated PGC1α/irisin pathway (PGC1α :1.1%, 1.1%; IRISIN:1.1%, 0.9%) significantly. This study demonstrated the possibliy that protective myokines increased by SME supplementation may contribute to neuro-protection in OB mice. Taken together, the current study suggests that SME can be used to prevent skeletal muscle and brain damage in OB by protecting against oxidative stress and inflammatin via modulation of the BDNF/PGC1α/irisin pathway in the therapeutic approach of obese patients.

Nomograms combining computed tomography-based body composition changes with clinical prognostic factors to predict survival in locally advanced cervical cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of body composition changes (BCC) measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) for evaluating the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), nomograms combined BCC with clinical prognostic factors (CPF) were constructed to predict overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

METHODS

Eighty-eight patients with LACC were retrospectively selected. All patients underwent QCT scans before and after CCRT, bone mineral density (BMD), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), visceral fat area (VFA), total fat area (TFA), paravertebral muscle area (PMA) were measured from two sets of computed tomography (CT) images, and change rates of these were calculated.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed ΔBMD, ΔSFA, SCC-Ag, LNM were independent factors for OS (HR = 3.560, 5.870, 2.702, 2.499, respectively, all P < 0.05); ΔPMA, SCC-Ag, LNM were independent factors for PFS (HR = 2.915, 4.291, 2.902, respectively, all P < 0.05). Prognostic models of BCC combined with CPF had the highest predictive performance, and the area under the curve (AUC) for OS and PFS were 0.837, 0.846, respectively. The concordance index (C-index) of nomograms for OS and PFS were 0.834, 0.799, respectively. Calibration curves showed good agreement between the nomograms' predictive and actual OS and PFS, decision curve analysis (DCA) showed good clinical benefit of nomograms.

CONCLUSION

CT-based body composition changes and CPF (SCC-Ag, LNM) were associated with survival in patients with LACC. The prognostic nomograms combined BCC with CPF were able to predict the OS and PFS in patients with LACC reliably.

Task fMRI studies investigating inhibitory control in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorders: A comparative meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders (EDs) share similarities in terms of clinical characteristics and deficits in inhibitory control.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether inhibitory control could serve as a common behavioural phenotype between OCD and EDs and whether it might be underpinned by shared and/or distinct neural signatures.

METHOD

We performed a quantitative meta-analysis of brain function abnormalities during the inhibitory control task-based functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scan across patients with OCD and EDs using seed-based d mapping (SDM).

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included sixteen OCD fMRI studies and ten EDs fMRI studies. And findings revealed that patients with OCD showed hypoactivation relative to healthy controls and patients with EDs in the anterior cingulate cortex, while compared to healthy controls and patients with OCD, patients with EDs showed hypoactivation in the right insula.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with OCD and EDs are inclined to exhibit impaired inhibitory control, which may be attributed to different abnormal patterns of neural activation.

Bariatric Surgery and Gut-Brain-Axis Driven Alterations in Cognition and Inflammation

Obesity is associated with systemic inflammation, comorbidities like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and several cancers, cognitive decline and structural and functional brain changes. To treat, or potentially prevent these related comorbidities, individuals with obesity must achieve long-term sustainable weight loss. Often life style interventions, such as dieting and increased physical activity are not successful in achieving long-term weight loss. Meanwhile bariatric surgery has emerged as a safe and effective procedure to treat obesity. Bariatric surgery causes changes in physiological processes, but it is still not fully understood which exact mechanisms are involved. The successful weight loss after bariatric surgery might depend on changes in various energy regulating hormones, such as ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY. Moreover, changes in microbiota composition and white adipose tissue functionality might play a role. Here, we review the effect of obesity on neuroendocrine effects, microbiota composition and adipose tissue and how these may affect inflammation, brain structure and cognition. Finally, we will discuss how these obesity-related changes may improve after bariatric surgery.

The association of increased body mass index on cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and cognition in adults with down syndrome

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease; however, this association has not been explored in adults with Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of obesity, assessed by body mass index (BMI), with factors related to Alzheimer's disease risk including cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and cognition in adults with Down syndrome.

METHODS

Adults with Down syndrome attended a laboratory visit where BMI, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 peak), and cognitive function (CANTAB® DS Battery) were obtained. Physical activity (accelerometer) was collected over the week following the laboratory visit. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to evaluate differences in cardiorespiratory fitness, sedentary time, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and cognition between adults with obesity (BMI≥ 30 kg/m2) and those with healthy weight or overweight (BMI <30 kg/m2). Spearman correlations and linear regressions were used to measure the impact of BMI on cardiorespiratory fitness, MVPA, sedentary time, and cognition.

RESULTS

Data was collected for 79 adults with Down syndrome (26.7 ± 9.0 years of age, 54% female, 54% with obesity). VO2 peak was significantly lower in participants with obesity (18.4 ± 2.5 ml/kg/min) compared to those with healthy weight or overweight (22.9 ± 4.0 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001). BMI was negatively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (rho = -0.614, p < 0.001). No associations were observed between BMI and physical activity or cognition.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower BMI was associated with improved cardiorespiratory fitness. However, no associations were observed between BMI and cognition or physical activity.

NCT REGISTRATION

NCT04048759.

Relationship between body mass index and physical fitness index in Chinese college students: Results from a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

To explore the cross-sectional relationship between the body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness index (PFI) of Chinese college students.

METHODS

In total, 30 497 (male 16 197, 55.5%) Chinese college students aged 19-22 were tested for height, weight and five physical fitness indicators (50-m sprint, sit and reach, standing long jump, 1000/800-m run, pull-up/bent-leg sit-up). Stratified according to age and gender, according to BMI percentile, divided into BMI < 10th Percentile (A), 10th ≤ BMI < 25th Percentile (B), 25th ≤ BMI < 75th Percentile (C), 75th ≤ BMI < 90th Percentile (D), BMI ≥ 90th Percentile (E), a total of 5 groups, and the PFI composed of 5 indicators of physical fitness was calculated according to age and gender. The comparison of PFI between different BMI groups was carried out using the effect size, and the non-linear relationship between BMI-Z and PFI was analyzed.

RESULTS

The relationship between BMI-Z and PFI of male and female college students in China showed an inverted "U"-shaped curve. With comparable BMI, PFI change was greater in males than in females.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between BMI and PFI of Chinese college students is nonlinear. The physical fitness level of college students who are underweight or overweight and those with obesity is lower than that of normal-weight students.

Associations of five obesity indicators with cognitive performance in 30,697 Taiwan Biobank participants

Background

Obesity adversely influences the central nervous system and cognitive functions. However, the relationship between various obesity indicators and cognitive performance remains controversial. It is unclear which obesity indicator is more relevant to cognitive impairment.

Methods

The Taiwan Biobank (TWB) administered the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to 30,697 participants (12,094 males and 18,603 females) aged 60 to 70 years. A total of 3,454 (11.25%) individuals with MMSE < = 24 were classified as having poor cognitive performance. This cross-sectional study investigates the associations of five obesity indicators with cognitive performance. Five separate logistic regression models were fitted for males and another five for females. Covariates adjusted in all models included age, smoking status, drinking status, regular exercise, chronic disease status (diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, heart diseases, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease), depression status, blood pressure level, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, and educational attainment. The five obesity indicators included body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR).

Results

Abdominal obesity defined by WHR was significantly associated with poor cognitive performance. Male WHR > = 0.90 had a higher risk of poor cognitive performance than male WHR < 0.90 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.233; p = 0.007); female WHR > = 0.85 had an increased risk of poor cognitive performance compared with female WHR < 0.85 (OR = 1.221; p = 3.9E-4). HC and general obesity (defined by BMI and BFP) were not significantly associated with cognitive performance.

Conclusion

The results consistently agreed that preventing abdominal obesity is associated with better cognitive performance in both males and females.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03457-x.

Does an increase in physiological indexes predict better cognitive performance: the PhyCog randomised cross-over protocol in type 2 diabetes

INTRODUCTION

There has been a growing interest towards cognitive-training programmes to improve cognition and prevent cognitive impairment despite discrepant findings. Physical activity has been recognised in maintaining or improving cognitive ability. Based on a psychoneurophysiological approach, physiological indexes should partly determine neuronal dynamics and influence cognition as any effects of cognitive training. This study's primary aim was to examine if improved physiological indexes predict improved cognitive variables in the context of a clinical intervention programme for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

PhyCog will be a 22-week randomised controlled trial comparing cognitive performance between three arms: (1) physical activity (1 month), a 15-day wash-out, then cognitive training (1 month), (2) cognitive training (1 month), a 15-day wash-out and physical activity (1 month), and (3) an active breathing condition (psychoeducation and resonance frequency breathing for 1 month), then a 15-day wash-out, and combined physical activity and cognitive training (1 month), allowing to determine the most effective intervention to prevent cognitive impairment associated with T2D. All participants will be observed for 3 months following the intervention. The study will include a total of 81 patients with T2D.Cognitive performance and physiological variables will be assessed at baseline (week 0-W0), during the washout (W5, 72-96 hours after week 4), at the end of the intervention (W10), and at the end of the follow-up (W22). The main variables of interest will be executive function, memory and attention. Physiological testing will involve allostatic load such as heart rate variability, microcirculation, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels. Sociodemographic and body composition will also be a consideration. Assessors will all be blinded to outcomes. To test the primary hypothesis, the relationship between improvement in physiological variables and improvement in cognitive variables (executive, memory and attention) will be collected.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This protocol was approved by the Est III French Ethics Committee (2020-A03228-31). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04915339.

Visceral Adiposity Index Is a Measure of the Likelihood of Developing Depression Among Adults in the United States

Background

Depression is a serious mental disorder often accompanied by emotional and physiological disorders. Visceral fat index (VAI) is the current standard method in the evaluation of visceral fat deposition. In this study, we explored the association between VAI and depression in the American population using NHANES data.

Methods

A total of 2,577 patients were enrolled for this study. Data were collected through structured questionnaires. Subgroup analysis for the relationship between VAI and depression was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounding factors.

Results

For every 1 unit increase in VAI, the clinical depression increased by 14% (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25). High VAI scores (T3) increased the highest risk of developing depression (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.2–4.47). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a strong and stable association between VAI and the development of depression.

Conclusion

Our study showed that depressive symptoms are associated with a high ratio of visceral adiposity index after controlling confounding factors.

Physical fitness, physical activity and adiposity: associations with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease and cognitive function across adolescence

BACKGROUND

The cross-sectional associations between physical activity, physical fitness and adiposity with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease (particularly novel ones such as inflammatory cytokines) and cognitive function across the period of adolescence are not well understood. Additionally, novel physical activity metrics that summarise activity volume and intensity in a continuous manner have not been investigated in this context. Therefore, this study investigated the cross-sectional associations between physical activity, physical fitness and adiposity with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease and cognitive function. These associations were compared between younger and older adolescents.

METHODS

Seventy younger (11-12y, 35 girls) and 43 older (14-15y, 27 girls) adolescents volunteered to take part in the study. Physical fitness (multi-stage fitness test, MSFT) and adiposity (waist circumference) were determined, followed 7d later by resting blood pressure, a fasted blood sample (glucose, plasma insulin, IL6, IL10, IL15 and IL-1β concentrations) and a cognitive function test battery. Habitual physical activity was monitored via hip-worn accelerometers over this 7-d period and the average acceleration (activity volume), and intensity gradient (intensity distribution of activity) were determined.

RESULTS

Average acceleration and intensity gradient were negatively associated with mean arterial blood pressure (β = -0.75 mmHg, p = 0.021; β = -10 mmHg, p = 0.006, respectively), and waist circumference was positively associated with IL-6 concentration (β = 0.03%, p = 0.026), with stronger associations observed in older adolescents. Higher physical fitness (MSFT distance) was positively associated with anti-inflammatory IL-15 concentration (β = 0.03%, p = 0.038) and faster response times on the incongruent Stroop task (β = -1.43 ms, p = 0.025), the one-item level of the Sternberg paradigm (β = -0.66 ms, p = 0.026) and the simple (β = 0.43 ms, p = 0.032) and complex (β = -2.43 ms, p = 0.020) levels of the visual search test, but these were not moderated by age group.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study highlights the important role of physical activity (both the volume and intensity distribution) and physical fitness for cardio-metabolic health. Furthermore, the present study highlights the importance of physical fitness for a variety of cognitive function domains in adolescents, irrespective of age.

The Role of BMI, Body Fat Mass and Visceral Fat in Executive Function in Individuals with Overweight and Obesity

Evidence accumulated to date suggests that excess weight in the adult population is associated with a wide range of impairments in executive function. However, most studies have only examined the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the cognitive function of individuals with overweight and obesity. This study examined the potential associations of markers of adiposity (BMI, body fat, and visceral fat) with five domains of executive function including cognitive flexibility, inhibition, monitoring, planning, and working memory in a sample of 87 adult with overweight (n = 34) and obesity (n = 53). The results show that obese people had poorer working memory than those with overweight. After controlling for educational levels and physical activity, the results suggest that neither the waist-hip index not visceral fat were associated with cognitive function. In overweight, body fat was negatively associated with executive components of inhibition (p = 0.05) and monitoring (p = 0.02). In the obesity subgroup, body fat was negatively associated with inhibition (0.02) and working memory (0.04). The results provide evidence of the importance of adiposity for cognitive function. The implications for understanding the influence of markers of adiposity in adults with overweight and obesity are discussed.

Associations of Body Mass Index, Visceral Fat Area, Waist Circumference, and Waist-to-Hip Ratio with Cognitive Function in Western China: Results from WCHAT Study

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the relationship between cognitive performance and obesity parameters, such as body mass index (BMI), visceral fat area (VFA), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in western China.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

3914 participants, aged ≥50 years, were recruited in this study. Anthropometrics measurements, life-style factors, chronic disease comorbidities, and sleep qualities were recorded for each participant. Among the anthropometrics, BMI, WC, and WHR were assessed using standard procedures, while VFA was calculated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Cognitive performance was estimated using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Finally, relationships between cognitive abilities and BMI, VFA, WC, and WHR were evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

RESULTS

Cognitive decline (CD) occurred at a rate of 13.29% among the 3914 participants. A strong correlation was observed between cognitive abilities and BMI of male patients aged 50-59 yrs (OR 1.116,95% CI1.002-1.242), in the adjusted model. Alternately, WHR was shown to be significantly related to CD in females aged ≥70 years (OR 0.041, 95% CI0.002-0.671). WC was shown to have a strong association with CD in males (OR 1.023,95% CI1.003-1.024). Lastly, WHR was closely connected to CD in participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (OR 0.022,95% CI0.002-0.209).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that a higher middle age BMI is associated with CD, whereas, in the elderly population, a higher WHR is related to improved cognitive performance. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate a relationship between VFA and CD.

Objective aerobic fitness level and neuropsychological functioning in healthy adolescents and emerging adults: Unique sex effects

Objective

Research suggests positive relationships between aerobic fitness and cognition in older adults; however, limited research has adequately investigated the relationship between objectively measured aerobic fitness and broad cognitive functioning in healthy adolescents and young adults without psychiatric or physical health disorders. Further, studies to date have disproportionately examined males and failed to examine sex differences. Here we examine the relationship between aerobic fitness and neuropsychological functioning in physically healthy youth and whether sex moderates these findings.

Design

Sixty-four healthy emerging adults (16-25 years-old; 32 female) underwent measurement of objective aerobic fitness (VO2 max) and neuropsychological assessment. Exclusion criteria included: left-handedness, prenatal medical issues or alcohol/illicit drug exposure, Axis-I psychiatric disorders, major medical disorders including metabolic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, major neurologic disorders, LOS greater than 2 min, intellectual disability or learning disability, regular substance use (e.g., greater than biweekly use of cannabis) or positive drug toxicology testing.

Method

Multiple regressions examined VO2 max, sex, sex*VO2interaction in relation to neurocognition, controlling for objectively measured body fat percentage.

Results

Prior to including body fat percentage, higher VO2 max related to improved working memory (Letter-Number Sequencing; p = .03) and selective attention (CPT-II hit response time standard error; p = .03). Aerobic fitness significantly interacted with sex, as higher-fit males had better performance on two sustained attention tasks while females did not demonstrate this pattern (CPT-II variability standard error, p = .047; Ruff 2&7 Total Speed, p = .02). Body fat percentage was positively slower cognitive flexibility (D-KEFS color-word switching/inhibition, p = .046).

Conclusions

VO2 independently predicted better working memory and selective attention. Increased aerobic fitness level related to increased performance on sustained attention tasks in males but not females. Therefore, aerobic fitness may be positively related to better cognitive functioning in physically healthy adolescents and emerging adults without metabolic conditions. Further research into factors (e.g., intensity or type of activity) that may relate to beneficial outcomes by sex are needed.