title: Cognitive effects of a long-term weight reducing diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate if long-term caloric restriction under controlled conditions adversely affects cognitive function in obese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy, premenopausal women between 23-42 y. Dieting group: n = 14.
  
  
  METHODS
  n = 11.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal weight loss study (repeated measures within-subject design) with 3 weeks of baseline, 15 weeks of 50% caloric restriction, and 3 weeks of weight stabilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computerized cognitive function tests (sustained attention, short-term memory, simple reaction time, motor performance and attentional focus), height, body weight, body composition (TOBEC) and behavioral questionnaires (Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Test, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dieting women lost 12.3 +/- 5.5 kg (mean +/- s.d.) of body weight. Controlled long-term caloric restriction significantly slowed simple reaction time but did not diminish sustained attention, motor performance or immediate memory. Word recall performance significantly improved by 24% at the end of caloric restriction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The slowing of simple reaction time is a short-term and long-term consequence of caloric restriction. In contrast to previous short-term dieting studies, sustained attention and immediate memory were not impaired with long-term caloric restriction.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agricultural, Agriculture Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Presidio of San Francisco, California 94129, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kretsch
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Elliman
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018579:Patient Selection; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*