Recent studies on the impact of excess body weight on long-term health have focused on measures such as waist circumference or weight-adjusted waist index, which are more sensitive to visceral fat than subcutaneous fat. The presence of excess visceral fat in the abdomen has been linked to increased chronic inflammation, which in turn has been associated with the acceleration of neurodegenerative conditions and cognitive decline.
Some studies have found that excessive obesity can lead to cognitive decline and dementia. However, traditional obesity measurement indices like body mass index (BMI) may lack sensitivity in identifying body fat distribution. To address this, a new obesity assessment index called the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) has been proposed. This index evaluates obesity by weight-standardized waist circumference, reflecting weight-independent central obesity and showing better accuracy than BMI.
A cross-sectional research study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 looked at the connection between the WWI and low cognitive function in individuals aged 60 years and over. The study found a significant correlation between the WWI and low cognition, independent of other factors. Even after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, BMI, smoking, drinking, hypertension, and diabetes, a positive relationship was found between the WWI and poor cognitive function.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-023-02649-8
