ArticleBMC geriatrics2024
Association between obesity, physical activity, and cognitive decline in Chinese middle and old-aged adults: a mediation analysis.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers.
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Who cites it
44 citing papers in PubMed.
- Associations of modifiable lifestyle and clinical factors with cognitive function in adults with type 2 diabetes.Journal of diabetes and its complications · 2026Trial
- Population-specific association and risk discrimination utility of the cardiometabolic index for prevalent hypertension-diabetes comorbidity: insights from CHARLS and NHANES.Clinical and experimental medicine · 2026Article
- A Body Shape Index Shows Stronger Associations with Falls than BMI among Older Adults: Evidence from the NHATS Cohort.Gerontology · 2026Article
- Paid work participation and cognitive function trajectories among older adults in China: evidence from a longitudinal study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- A longitudinal study of socioeconomic status and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults in China: random intercept cross-lagged panel analysis.Cognitive processing · 2026Article
- Article
- The Neuroprotective Role of Exercise in Alzheimer's Disease: An Integrative Review of Animal and Human Studies.Neurology international · 2026Review
- The influence of physical activity on circadian syndrome: a nationwide prospective study based on the CHARLS cohort.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Article
- [Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders in Patients With Colorectal Cancer Undergoing General Anesthesia: Influencing Factors and Development of a Nomogram Prediction Model].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2026Article
- Obesity-induced cognitive impairment: Underlying mechanisms and therapeutic prospects.Metabolism open · 2026Review
- Correlation analysis of cognitive dysfunction and fluctuations in serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels in the overweight group.Journal of medical biochemistry · 2026Article
- Exploring the mediating roles of diet and physical activity in the association between different obesity phenotypes and risk of depression: A cox survival analysis approach.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026Article
- Association between cognitive function and all-cause mortality among US older adults with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Factors Associated with the Anamnestic Immune Response Following Hepatitis B Booster Vaccination in the Elderly.Vaccines · 2026Article
- Circadian syndrome, not metabolic syndrome, is a significant predictor of mild cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults - The CHARLS survey during 2015-2018.BMC public health · 2026Article
- A scoping review of 24-h movement behaviours research in Chinese children and adolescents.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- The associations between dynapenic obesity and cognitive disorder in older hypertension patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Observational
- Current limitations of exercise snacks studies: A road map for the future.EXCLI journal · 2026Article
- Multimorbidity patterns are associated with postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery: an observational study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesEpidemiological evidence on obesity and cognitive decline in middle and old-aged individuals is controversial and the effect of physical activity in this chain is sparse and limited. This study aimed to characterize the association between obesity and cognitive decline and the mediating role of physical activity.
methodsData from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were used, including 7,392 participants aged ≥ 45 years between 2011 and 2018. Cognitive function was assessed via episodic memory and mental status. The total score of cognitive function was the sum of the above two dimensions (0-31 points). The Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was applied to identify the potential heterogeneity of longitudinal changes in cognitive function. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate associations between obesity and cognitive trajectories, taking body mass index (BMI) as the indicator of obesity. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the potential causal chain in which physical activity mediates the relationship between BMI and cognitive decline.
resultsOf the 7,392 analyzed patients (mean [SD] age, 58.0 [8.5] years; 3,916 [53%] male), the median (interquartile range [IQR]) of BMI was 23.4 (21.1-26.0). Four trajectories were identified by the GBTM model, including the high stable (14.9%), the middle stable (46.0%), the middle decline (29.9%), and the low decline groups (9.2%). After controlling potential confounders, obesity was associated with the low decline groups compared with normal weight (adjusted OR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.70-0.94). Mediation analyses showed that only vigorous physical activity significantly explained 5.94% (95% CI, 0.29-11.60%) of the relationship between obesity and cognitive decline. Sensitivity analyses in different subgroups showed comparable results.
conclusionThis study suggests that vigorous physical activity mediates less than 10% of the association between obesity and cognitive decline in middle and old-aged adults. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential factors related to the obesity paradox in the cognitive field.
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