Long-term impact of behavioral weight loss intervention on cognitive function.

Area of Science:

• Metabolism and Endocrinology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Long-term cognitive benefits of intentional weight loss remain unclear.
• Overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes are a key population for investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if intentional weight loss impacts long-term cognitive function.
• To compare an intensive lifestyle intervention with diabetes support and education.

Main Methods:

• Ancillary study of a randomized clinical trial involving 978 overweight/obese adults (45-76 years) with type 2 diabetes.
• Intensive behavioral intervention (caloric restriction, increased physical activity) vs. diabetes support and education.
• Cognitive function assessed 8.1 years post-enrollment.

Main Results:

• Intensive lifestyle intervention led to significantly greater weight loss at Years 1 and 8 compared to the control group (p < .001).
• No significant differences in overall cognitive function scores between the groups (p = .69).
• Evidence of a potential benefit in composite cognitive function for overweight (BMI < 30 kg/m²) but not obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) individuals.

Conclusions:

• Eight years of intensive lifestyle intervention did not alter cognitive function in obese adults with type 2 diabetes.
• Overweight individuals (BMI < 30 kg/m²) showed some evidence of cognitive benefit, unlike obese individuals.
• Cognitive changes were not assessed cross-sectionally in this study.