Body fat and the cognitive pattern: A population-based study

The relationship between body fatness and cognitive pattern at a population level was investigated.

Among 500 unselected subjects from the general population, the role of body mass index (BMI) and body fat mass (BFM) on a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and on a battery of paper and pencil neuropsychological tests was analyzed. Multiple linear regressions, accounting for potential confounders, were used.

In fully adjusted models, MMSE (coefficient +0.027, 95% confidence intervals, 0.017-0.177), the clock drawing test (+0.141, 0.053-0.226), and the trail making test A (+1.542, 0.478-2.607) were positively associated with BMI. Adding BFM to the models, no associations were observed. The tests were also positively associated with BFM (+0.056, 0.021-0.091; +0.063, 0.025-0.101; +0.592, 0.107-1.077; respectively). At analysis of covariance, the same tests were significantly better performed over 29.4 kg m(-2) of BMI. After adding BFM as further confounder, all differences in performance across BMI were no longer significant. The three tests were better performed over 34.6 kg of BFM.

Higher BMI and particularly higher BFM are positively associated with better performance at the cognitive tasks exploring selective attention and executive functions.