Elderly weight changes linked to swifter cognitive deterioration, research findings showcase
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Obesity, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Aging Study Group, along with colleagues from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, have found a link between weight fluctuations and faster cognitive decline in older adults.
Over an 11-year period, from 2011 to 2021, the study analysed cognitive performance data from 4,303 participants in the US National Health and Aging Study. The research team tracked body mass index (BMI), body weights, and waist circumference, which were measured repeatedly.
The study found that the more a person's weight varied from year to year, the faster that person experienced cognitive decline. Significant weight fluctuations were associated with a decline rate two to four times faster than those with stable weights. People who experienced weight cycling (repeated loss and regain of at least 5 per cent body weight) showed nearly double the cognitive decline.
Interestingly, the study also emphasized the "obesity paradox," associating late-life obesity with a healthier cognitive trajectory. However, moderate weight losses of 5 per cent were linked to cognitive decline.
Muzi Na, associate professor of nutritional sciences and senior author of the study, stated that any way the data was analysed, the relationship between weight variability and cognitive decline was clear. Maintaining a stable weight was linked to the slowest rate of cognitive decline.
The study used a composite index, which included tests of memory, orientation, and executive function, to measure cognitive abilities. Weighing at the same time each morning, after waking up but before breakfast and after a bathroom trip, while wearing the same clothes, was recommended for accurate weight monitoring.
Self-monitoring was found to be most important for the most accurate weight data. Regularly monitoring weights could be a helpful way to protect cognitive health.
The findings of this study suggest a link between weight fluctuations and faster cognitive decline in older adults. It highlights the importance of maintaining a stable weight for optimal cognitive health in later life. Weight loss in late life is a potential warning sign for cognitive decline.
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