Association of adiposity evaluated by anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance analysis measures with cognitive performance in the ELSA-Brasil study
Authors' conclusion
WHR and WHtR were more consistently associated with cognitive performance than BMI. BIA measures of adiposity were associated with cognition only in younger adults. Obesity-related comorbidities fully mediated the associations of adiposity with cognition.
Study context
- Population
- Participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil); mean age 58.9 (SD 8.6) years, 55.8% women, 54.4% White10,725 analysed
- Participants
- 12,636 participants
- Exposure
- Adiposity measures and global cognitive performance
- Outcome
- Composite global cognition score:
- Immediate and delayed recall
- Word recognition
- Phonemic and semantic verbal fluency
- Trail-making tests
Methodological detailscross-sectional analysis of the ELSA-Brasil cohort, causal mediation analysis
- Cross-sectional analysis of the ELSA-Brasil cohort
- Causal mediation analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Global cognitive performance
- Larger waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were associated with worse global cognitive performance
- Associations not modified by age, sex or race
- Association of body fat percentage (BFP) with cognition observed only in younger adults
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mediation by obesity-related comorbidities
- Only indirect effects of adiposity measures on cognitive performance; no direct effects
Original publication
Association of adiposity evaluated by anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance analysis measures with cognitive performance in the ELSA-Brasil study. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 13 April 2025. doi:10.
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