Association of body mass index, waist circumference, (abdominal) overweight and obesity with sex- and age-specific cognitive function over time—the Doetinchem Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
In both sexes, higher BMI and WC were consistently associated with worse cognition. WC-based overweight and obesity showed larger effect sizes with cognition than BMI-based overweight and obesity. Only in men, associations with cognitive decline and effect modification by age were observed.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged 45–70 at baseline, 52% women, Doetinchem Cohort Study52% women
- Participants
- 3,873 adults
- Exposure
- Higher vs lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC); overweight and obesity vs healthy BMI/WC
- Outcome
- Cognitive function and decline (global cognition, memory, flexibility, processing speed domain scores)
Methodological detailsrepeated measures (up to six), linear mixed models, sex-stratified, adjusted for socio-demographic, lifestyle and mental health factors
- Repeated measures (up to six)
- Linear mixed models
- Sex-stratified
- Adjusted for socio-demographic, lifestyle and mental health factors
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cognitive function
- Higher BMI and WC associated with worse level of cognition (all domains)
- Both sexes: smallest difference for global cognition (BMI) and processing speed (WC), largest for flexibility (BMI) and memory (WC)
- (Abdominal) obesity vs healthy BMI/WC consistently associated with worse memory function in both sexes
- Effect sizes generally larger for categorical WC than categorical BMI
- Sex-stratified
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Cognitive decline, men
- In men, abdominal obesity associated with accelerated decline in processing speed (all ages), and in global cognition and flexibility (>55 years)
Original publication
Association of body mass index, waist circumference, (abdominal) overweight and obesity with sex- and age-specific cognitive function over time—the Doetinchem Cohort Study. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 17 March 2026. doi:10.
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