Department of Geography, Krishnagar Govt. College, Krishnanagar, WB, India.
Exp Aging Res. 2024 Jan-Feb;50(1):102-116. doi: 10.1080/0361073X.2023.2171686. Epub 2023 Jan 26.
The study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function among older adults in India.
Cross-sectional data on 21,000 older adults aged 60 years and older from the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), conducted in India during 2017-18, were used. Bivariate analysis and multivariate linear regression models were applied. The cognition tests include memory, orientation, arithmetic function, executive function, and object naming.
The mean overall cognition score was 24.6 in the study population. Further, BMI status showed a significant and positive association with cognition. The association of underweight with poor cognition (β=-0.72; 95% CI = -0.89, -0.54) whereas overweight (β = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.39, 0.75) and obese (β = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.68, 1.26) with better cognition remained statistically significant after adjusting for sociodemographic, health-related behavior, and health covariates. The mean cognition score of female older adults was always lower than male older adults with normal BMI, irrespective of their BMI categories.
This study shows that an underweight BMI is associated with poor cognition in both male and female older adults. In the context of providing health care for older individuals, underweight individuals should be given more attention in India.
本研究旨在探讨印度老年人的体重指数（BMI）与认知功能之间的关系。
本研究使用了 2017-2018 年在印度进行的印度纵向老龄化研究（LASI）第一波中 21000 名 60 岁及以上老年人的横断面数据。应用了双变量分析和多元线性回归模型。认知测试包括记忆、定向、算术功能、执行功能和物体命名。
研究人群的总体认知评分平均为 24.6。此外，BMI 状况与认知呈显著正相关。与认知能力差相关的体重不足（β=-0.72；95%CI=-0.89，-0.54），而超重（β=0.57；95%CI=0.39，0.75）和肥胖（β=0.97；95%CI=0.68，1.26）与认知能力较好相关，调整社会人口统计学、与健康相关的行为和健康协变量后仍具有统计学意义。无论其 BMI 类别如何，正常 BMI 的女性老年人的平均认知评分始终低于男性老年人。
本研究表明，无论男女老年人，体重不足的 BMI 与认知能力差有关。在为老年人提供医疗保健的背景下，印度应该更加关注体重不足的人群。
