Weight loss, visit-to-visit body weight variability and cognitive function in older individuals
Age and Ageing, vol. 52
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: to investigate the association between variability and loss of body weight with subsequent cognitive performance and activities of daily living in older individuals. DESIGN: cross-sectional cohort study. SETTING: PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk, multicentre trial with participants from Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. SUBJECTS: 4,309 participants without severe cognitive dysfunction (mean age 75.1 years, standard deviation (SD) = 3.3), at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: body weight was measured every 3 months for 2.5 years. Weight loss was defined as an average slope across all weight measurements and as ≥5% decrease in baseline body weight during follow-up. Visit-to-visit variability was defined as the SD of weight measurements (kg) between visits. Four tests of cognitive function were examined: Stroop test, letter-digit coding test (LDCT), immediate and delayed picture-word learning tests. Two measures of daily living activities: Barthel Index (BI) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). All tests were examined at month 30. RESULTS: both larger body weight variability and loss of ≥5% of baseline weight were independently associated with worse scores on all cognitive tests, but minimally with BI and IADL. Compared with participants with stable weight, participants with significant weight loss performed 5.83 seconds (95% CI 3.74; 7.92) slower on the Stroop test, coded 1.72 digits less (95% CI -2.21; -1.13) on the LDCT and remembered 0.71 pictures less (95% CI -0.93; -0.48) on the delayed picture-word learning test. CONCLUSION: in older people at higher risk for CVD, weight loss and variability are independent risk-factors for worse cognitive function.
Authors 9
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Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, , Leiden, The Netherlands
Leiden University Medical Centre Department of Cardiology, , Leiden, The Netherlands
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Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, , Leiden, The Netherlands
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University of Minnesota · HealthPartners
Affiliation as printed
HealthPartners Institute , Neuroscience Center, Bloomington, MN, USA and University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
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Affiliation as printed
University of Glasgow Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, , Glasgow, UK
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Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, , Leiden, The Netherlands
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Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, , Leiden, The Netherlands
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J. Wouter Jukema Aachen
Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center · Netherlands Heart Institute
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Centre Department of Cardiology, , Leiden, The Netherlands
Netherlands Heart Institute , Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
University of Glasgow Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, , Glasgow, UK
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Leiden University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Leiden University Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, , Leiden, The Netherlands
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