title: Body fat and the cognitive pattern: A population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between body fatness and cognitive pattern at a population level was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 500 unselected subjects from the general population, the role of body mass index (BMI) and body fat mass (BFM) on a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and on a battery of paper and pencil neuropsychological tests was analyzed. Multiple linear regressions, accounting for potential confounders, were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In fully adjusted models, MMSE (coefficient +0.027, 95% confidence intervals, 0.017-0.177), the clock drawing test (+0.141, 0.053-0.226), and the trail making test A (+1.542, 0.478-2.607) were positively associated with BMI. Adding BFM to the models, no associations were observed. The tests were also positively associated with BFM (+0.056, 0.021-0.091; +0.063, 0.025-0.101; +0.592, 0.107-1.077; respectively). At analysis of covariance, the same tests were significantly better performed over 29.4 kg m(-2) of BMI. After adding BFM as further confounder, all differences in performance across BMI were no longer significant. The three tests were better performed over 34.6 kg of BFM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher BMI and particularly higher BFM are positively associated with better performance at the cognitive tasks exploring selective attention and executive functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.|MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, University College of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tikhonoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casiglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guidotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Santorso, Thiene, Italy.
authors.forename: Bortolo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hospital of Rovigo, Rovigo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spinella
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palatini
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult