The cross-sectional relationship between body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative

Diana R Kerwin; Yinghua Zhang; Jane Morley Kotchen; Mark A Espeland; Linda Van Horn; Kathleen M McTigue; Jennifer G Robinson; Lynda Powell; Charles Kooperberg; Laura H Coker; Raymond Hoffmann

doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02969.x

Journal article

The cross-sectional relationship between body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative

Diana R Kerwin, Yinghua Zhang, Jane Morley Kotchen, Mark A Espeland, Linda Van Horn, Kathleen M McTigue, Jennifer G Robinson, Lynda Powell, Charles Kooperberg, Laura H Coker, …

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.58(8), pp.1427-1432

08/2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02969.x

PMCID: PMC2955186

PMID: 20646100

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Abstract

To determine whether body mass index (BMI) is independently associated with cognitive function in postmenopausal women and the relationship between body fat distribution as estimated by waist-hip ratio (WHR). Cross-sectional data analysis. Baseline data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials. Eight thousand seven hundred forty-five postmenopausal women aged 65 to 79 free of clinical evidence of dementia who completed the baseline evaluation in the WHI hormone trials. Participants completed a Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE), health and lifestyle questionnaires, and standardized measurements of height, weight, body circumference, and blood pressure. Statistical analysis was performed of associations between 3MSE score, BMI, and WHR after controlling for known confounders. With the exception of smoking and exercise, vascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, waist measurement, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus, were significantly associated with 3MSE score and were included as covariables in subsequent analyses. BMI was inversely related to 3MSE score; for every 1-unit increase in BMI, 3MSE score decreased 0.988 points (P<.001) after adjusting for age, education, and vascular disease risk factors. BMI had the most pronounced association with poorer cognitive functioning scores in women with smaller waist measurements. In women with the highest WHR, cognitive scores increased with BMI. Higher BMI was associated with poorer cognitive function in women with smaller WHR. Higher WHR, estimating central fat mass, was associated with higher cognitive function in this cross-sectional study. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanism for this association.

Body Mass Index

Neuropsychological Tests

Multivariate Analysis

Cross-Sectional Studies

Humans

Obesity - epidemiology

Postmenopause

Female

Aged

Cognition

Waist-Hip Ratio

Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Details

Title: Subtitle: The cross-sectional relationship between body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative
Creators: Diana R Kerwin - Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. d-kerwin@northwestern.edu
Yinghua Zhang - Medical College of Wisconsin
Jane Morley Kotchen
Mark A Espeland
Linda Van Horn
Kathleen M McTigue
Jennifer G Robinson
Lynda Powell
Charles Kooperberg
Laura H Coker
Raymond Hoffmann
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), Vol.58(8), pp.1427-1432
DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02969.x
PMID: 20646100
PMCID: PMC2955186
NLM abbreviation: J Am Geriatr Soc
ISSN: 0002-8614
eISSN: 1532-5415
Publisher: United States
Grant note: L30 AG026790 / NIA NIH HHS L30 AG026790-01 / NIA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 08/2010
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9983995035002771

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