Relationship between obesity indices and cognitive function in Japanese men: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Obesity indices and cognitive function are increasingly studied.
• Fat distribution, particularly visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), may influence cognitive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between obesity indices (VAT, SAT, VAT-to-SAT ratio - VSR) and cognitive function in Japanese men.
• To determine if VSR is a significant predictor of cognitive performance.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 776 community-dwelling Japanese men.
• Abdominal VAT and SAT measured by computed tomography.
• Cognitive function assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI).
• Analysis of covariance used to compare CASI scores across VSR quartiles.

Main Results:

• No significant association found between cognitive function and body mass index, VAT, or SAT alone.
• Participants in the lowest VSR quartile showed significantly lower CASI total scores compared to the third quartile.
• Low VSR was independently associated with reduced cognitive function.

Conclusions:

• The visceral adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSR) is independently associated with cognitive function in middle-aged and older Japanese men.
• VSR may serve as a useful indicator for cognitive health in this population.
• Fat distribution, not just overall obesity, is important for maintaining cognitive function.