The Body Fat-Cognition Relationship in Healthy Older Individuals: Does Gynoid vs Android Distribution Matter?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Body Composition Analysis

Background:

• Aging is associated with changes in body composition, including fat distribution.
• Accumulation of visceral (android) fat is linked to increased health risks.
• The relationship between regional fat distribution and cognitive function in older adults requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between regional body fat accumulation and executive functions in healthy older adults.
• To explore the differential effects of android and gynoid fat on cognitive performance.
• To examine potential gender-specific differences in the body fat-cognition relationship.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 78 healthy men and women aged 65-75 years.
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for measuring body fat percentage, android, gynoid fat, and android/gynoid ratio.
• Cognitive assessment included working memory updating (Random Number Generation test) and cognitive flexibility (Trail Making test).

Main Results:

• Working memory updating showed significant relationships with android fat (negative), gynoid fat (positive), and android/gynoid ratio (negative).
• In women, gynoid fat was positively associated with working memory updating.
• Moderation analysis indicated no significant effect of gender on the relationship between gynoid fat and working memory updating.

Conclusions:

• Gynoid fat may have a protective effect on cognitive function, particularly working memory, while android fat may be detrimental.
• Maintaining a healthy proportion of gynoid fat could help prevent cognitive decline in older women.
• Recommendations for healthy aging should focus on body composition management, including fat/lean mass control through lifestyle interventions like physical exercise.