title: 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.
authors: From the Division of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC), (YT-H, TW-K, TC-P, FY-L, HF-Y, YS-S, YW-C, WL-C); Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC), (TW-K, FY-L, YW-C, WL-C); Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei (FY-H, WL-C); and Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (TW-K).
authors: Yi-Te
authors: YT
authors: Ho
authors: Tung-Wei
authors: TW
authors: Kao
authors: Tao-Chun
authors: TC
authors: Peng
authors: Fang-Yih
authors: FY
authors: Liaw
authors: Hui-Fang
authors: HF
authors: Yang
authors: Yu-Shan
authors: YS
authors: Sun
authors: Yaw-Wen
authors: YW
authors: Chang
authors: Wei-Liang
authors: WL
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D055815:Young Adult