Role of Educational Status in Explaining the Association between Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function

Abstract

Preserving physical and cognitive function becomes an important issue as people age. A growing number of studies have found that the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function changes in different age groups. It is obvious that higher educational status is linked to higher cognitive function in terms of numerous risk factors that influence cognitive function. This study aimed to investigate the interplay between obesity and cognitive function categorized by different educational status.This study included 5021 participants aged 20 to 59 years who completed 3 neurocognitive function tests, including a simple reaction time test (SRTT), a symbol digit substitution test (SDST), and a serial digit learning test (SDLT) as reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III database. The associations between neurocognitive function and BMI were analyzed using multivariate linear regression while controlling for confounders.After adjusting for pertinent covariates in mode 3, the β coefficients in the female participants with more than 12 years of education (interpreted as change of 3 neurocognitive function tests for each increment in BMI) comparing obesity groups to those with normal BMI were 16.2 (P < 0.001 for SRTT), 0.14 (P < 0.05 for SDST), and 0.9 (P < 0.05 for SDLT). Male participants with more than 12 years of education and female participants with fewer than 12 years of education demonstrated increased impairment as their BMI increased. However, this association was not significant after adjustments.Obese individuals had worse neurocognitive function than those of normal weight or overweight, especially in women with a high educational level.

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“…Educational experience may provide the necessary knowledge and skill that enhance participation in cognitively demanding activities (24,25). In the current study, higher level of education was found to be a signi cant positive predictor of higher cognitive performance which is in agreement with other studies (26)(27)(28).…”

“…Many evidences show the relationship between adiposity and cognitive performance. In our study, there was no association between BMI and MMSE cognitive score which is against other studies conducted in China and the US (26,37). Insensitivity of BMI in measuring adiposity and difference in the method of assessing cognitive function might be the reason for the discrepancy.…”

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“…Weight, height and age of the patients were recorded at the time of BMD measurement. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the following formula: weight (kg)/height(m)² [7]. According to the mean value of BMI, which was 26.42±5.41 for the geriatric male group and 28.03±5.32 for the non-geriatric group, the overall weight status of the patients was determined as overweight [7].…”

The relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and executive function among individuals with schizophrenia: differences by illness duration

“…37,38 This variable was dichotomized into two categories: a) lower education (participants without a high school diploma); and b) higher education (those with a high school diploma).…”