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Body mass index and cognitive functioning decline: Exploring the relationship
Tanveer Kaur1, Piyush Ranjan2, Gauri S Kaloiya3
1Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, India.
Journal of Education and Health Promotion
|September 13, 2024
Summary
Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) is linked to poorer cognitive function in Indian adults. This includes deficits in visuospatial skills, attention, language, abstraction, memory, and orientation, highlighting a dose-effect relationship.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Cognitive functions are crucial for managing obesity and adherence to lifestyle changes.
- Obesity is a growing public health concern, particularly in India.
- Understanding the cognitive impact of obesity is vital for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify cognitive deficits in Indian adults.
- To examine the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and cognitive performance across different BMI categories.
- To investigate domain-specific cognitive impairments related to BMI.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey conducted at a tertiary care hospital in northern India.
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale administered to evaluate cognitive performance across eight domains.
- Statistical analysis to determine the association between BMI and total/domain-specific MoCA scores.
Main Results:
- 349 participants (mean age 36.9 ± 10.9 years, mean BMI 26.7 ± 4.6 kg/m2) were recruited.
- Significant negative association found between BMI and total MoCA scores (P < 0.001).
- Six domain-specific scores (visuospatial, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, orientation) showed significant negative association with BMI.
Conclusions:
- A clear association exists between higher BMI and impaired cognitive functioning in the Indian adult population.
- Cognitive domains affected include visuospatial ability, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, and orientation.
- The observed dose-effect relationship underscores the detrimental impact of increasing BMI on cognitive health.
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