ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences2023
Body Mass Index and Cognition: Associations Across Mid- to Late Life and Gender Differences.
Article in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed.
- Late-life body mass index and amyloid interaction on cognitive decline in unimpaired older adults.The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease · 2026Trial
- Individual-level Social Vulnerability and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026Article
- Aging and metabolism contribute separately to brain-body health.PLoS biology · 2026Article
- The impact of slope-adjusted visit-to-visit body mass index variability on early dementia risk prediction.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2026Article
- Epigenetic and polygenic contributions to body mass index: a validation study of predictive models.Clinical epigenetics · 2026Article
- BMI changes from midlife to late life and their relationship with Alzheimer's disease pathologies.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2026Observational
- Cognitive function in normotensive elderly adults: a population-based cross-sectional study in rural China.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Modeling approaches for estimating the effects of risk factors using longitudinal lifecourse exposure data in dementia research.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Review
- Cardiovascular contributions to dementia: Examining sex differences and female-specific factors.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Review
- Western Diet and Cognitive Decline: A Hungarian Perspective-Implications for the Design of the Semmelweis Study.Nutrients · 2025Review
- DNA methylation-based predictors of metabolic traits in Scottish and Singaporean cohorts.American journal of human genetics · 2025Article
- Longitudinal associations between pain and cognitive decline in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: the mediating role of depressive symptoms.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Relationship between Body Roundness Index and cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults: a population-based cross-sectional study.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- Common methodological issues in observational epidemiological studies of older adults.BMJ medicine · 2025Article
- Education, urbanicity of residence, and cardiometabolic biomarkers among middle-aged and older populations in the US, Mexico, China, and India.SSM - population health · 2024Article
- Modifiable risk factors for dementia in India: A cross-sectional study revisiting estimates and reassessing prevention potential and priorities.BMJ public health · 2024Article
- Methylome-wide studies of six metabolic traits.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2024Article
- Association of vitamin B2 intake with cognitive performance in older adults: a cross-sectional study.Journal of translational medicine · 2023Article
- Predictive value and weight of factors associated with cognitive performance in Hispanics/Latinos enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities.Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundHigher mid-life body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower late-life cognition. Associations between later-life BMI and cognition are less consistent; evidence suggests reverse causation may play a role. We aimed to characterize associations between BMI and cognition across a wide age range during mid- to late life (55-85 years) and examine whether associations vary by gender.
methodsWe used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (N = 39,153) to examine the association between BMI and 3 cognitive outcomes: cognitive level, cognitive decline, and cognitive impairment. We used a series of linear regression, mixed effects regression, and logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders.
resultsHigher BMI before age 65 (midlife) was associated with lower cognitive performance, faster rates of cognitive decline, and higher odds of cognitive impairment in late life. Averaging across analyses assessing associations between BMI measured before age 60 and late-life cognition, a 5-unit higher level of BMI was associated with a 0.26 point lower cognitive score. Beyond age 65, associations flipped, and higher BMI was associated with better late-life cognitive outcomes. Associations in both directions were stronger in women. Excluding those with BMI loss attenuated findings among women in older ages, supporting the reverse causation hypothesis.
conclusionsIn this sample, age 65 represented a critical turning point between mid- and late life for the association between BMI and cognition, which has important implications for recruitment strategies for studies focused on risk factors for late-life cognitive outcomes. Evidence of gender differences raises the need to further investigate plausible mechanisms.
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