Influence of Weight Loss on Cognitive Functions: A Pilot Study of a Multidisciplinary Intervention Program for Obesity Treatment

Abstract

There is a relationship between obesity and cognitive functioning. Our aim was to assess weight loss influence on global cognition and executive functioning (EF) in adults with obesity under a multidisciplinary weight loss program. In this six-month longitudinal study, we assessed 81 adults (age < 50 years) with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30. EF and global cognitive performance were evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Neuropsychological Battery of Executive Functions (BANFE-2) and Trail Making Test-Part B (TMT-B). Median age was 40.0 years (IQR: 31.5–47, 61% women), and the median BMI was 41.4 (IQR: 36.7–45.9). At a six-month follow-up, the mean weight loss was 2.67% (29.6% of patients achieved ≥5% weight loss). There was an improvement in EF evaluated with BANFE (p = 0.0024) and global cognition with MoCA (p = 0.0024). Women experienced more remarkable change, especially in EF. Weight loss did not correlate with cognitive performance, except for TMT-B (r-0.258, p = 0.026). In the regression analysis, only years of education predicted the MoCA score. This study showed that patients improved cognitive performance during the follow-up; nevertheless, the magnitude of weight loss did not correlate with cognitive improvement. Future studies are warranted to demonstrate if patients achieving ≥5% weight loss can improve cognition, secondary to weight loss.

Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Inflammatory and Cognitive Parameters in Middle-Aged Women with Overweight or Obesity

“…In a longitudinal study encompassing 6401 middle-aged adults aged between 39 and 63 years, cognitive decline, as measured by the global cognition score, was notably more pronounced among individuals classified as obese, in comparison to their normal-weight counterparts [54]. Conversely, when investigating the impact of weight loss on global cognition in obese adults participating in a comprehensive multidisciplinary weight reduction program, it was observed that the magnitude of weight loss did not exhibit a significant correlation with cognitive improvement [55]. These findings are in concordance with our own study results, which suggest that the potential cognitive benefits attributed to Zn supplementation are independent of weight loss.…”