On 23 June, Dr. Yixuan Ma and colleagues published an article in the International Journal of Epidemiology, reporting an increased risk of dementia in older individuals who are overweight or obese. In the study, Dr. Ma and colleagues evaluated over 6500 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) who were aged >50 years at baseline. Participants were classified as obese or overweight based on their body mass index (BMI) and/or waist circumference, using established categories. Several clinical and lifestyle measures were also collected, including ApoE4 status, levels of smoking and physical activity, and whether they had hypertension or diabetes. Participants were followed up for an average of 11.4 years, and underwent cognitive assessments at 2-year intervals.
Statistical analyses showed that obese participants with a BMI of >30kg/m at baseline had a 35% increased risk of dementia compared to participants with normal BMI. The association between obesity and dementia remained even after adjusting for ApoE4 status, hypertension, smoking status, education and marital status. When waist circumference, a measure of central obesity, was measured, the researchers detected a 39% increased risk of dementia in women, compared to women with no central obesity. When taking both measures of obesity into consideration, the association with dementia remained, with a 28% increased risk in participants with high BMI and greater waist circumference compared to those with a normal BMI (<25kg/m) and waist circumference. Link to article: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/doi/10.1093/ije/dyaa099/5861491