Associations of body mass index and novel obesity indicators with cognitive functions

HUANG Hui, GAO Zhihui, LIU Bosi, HONG Shiru, GUAN Xin, GUO Huan

Chinese Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders ›› 2025, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (4) : 239-247.

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Chinese Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

Abbreviation (ISO4): Chinese Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders      Editor in chief: Jun WANG

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Chinese Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders ›› 2025, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (4) : 239-247. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2096-5516.2025.04.004
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Associations of body mass index and novel obesity indicators with cognitive functions

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Abstract

Objective: To investigate the associations of five obesity indicators, body mass index (BMI), body round index (BRI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and a body shape index (ABSI), with the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited participants from Wuhan and Shiyan cities in Hubei province during 2019 and 2022. After excluding individuals with self-reported dementia or Parkinson's disease and missing general characteristics, a total of 6,917 participants were included in this study. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations of body mass index and novel obesity indicators with the cognitive function. Restricted cubic spline model was used to explore the nonlinear relationships between obesity indicators and MCI. Results: Among the 6917 participants in this study, 3338 (48.3%) were males and 3579 (51.7%) were females. A total of 670 (9.7%) participants were identified as MCI. Increased BRI and ABSI were associated with decreased MMSE score and raised MCI risk (P trend < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding, compared to the Q1 subgroup, individuals in the BRI, ABSI and LAP Q4 subgroup respectively showed increased MCI risk [OR (95% CI)=1.58 (1.23,2.03), 2.54 (1.68, 3.86), 1.38 (1.08, 1.76)]. RCS confirmed the linear dose-response relationships of BRI and ABSI with MCI risk (both P for non-linear associations were > 0.05). However, BMI and VAI were not found to be correlated with MCI risk. Conclusion: High BRI, ABSI and LAP may be risk factors for cognitive decline, and BRI and ABSI may present a potential dose-response relationship with MCI risk.

Key words

Bbody mass index / Novel obesity indicators / Cognitive function / Cross-sectional study

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HUANG Hui , GAO Zhihui , LIU Bosi , et al . Associations of body mass index and novel obesity indicators with cognitive functions[J]. Chinese Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. 2025, 8(4): 239-247 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.2096-5516.2025.04.004

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