Central obesity and the aging brain.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional analysis of baseline cohort data
PubMed 16216937 · doi:10.1001/archneur.62.10.1545
What was done
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 112 older Latino individuals selected from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging cohort in the California Central Valley. Baseline waist-hip ratio (WHR), fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, insulin levels, and blood pressure were measured. Baseline magnetic resonance images were analyzed quantitatively to measure bilateral hippocampal volumes and the percentage of white matter hyperintensities.
What was found
Greater WHR was negatively associated with hippocampal volumes (P = .02), and older age was also negatively associated (P < .001). WHR and age were positively associated with white matter hyperintensities (P = .02 and P = .001, respectively). A 1-SD increase in WHR was associated with a 0.2-SD decrease in hippocampal volume and a 27% increase in white matter hyperintensities. These relationships remained significant after adjusting for body mass index, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, insulin levels, and systolic blood pressure.
Why it matters
This study provides evidence that visceral adiposity, measured by waist-hip ratio, is linked to adverse structural brain changes associated with cognitive decline and dementia, independent of overall body mass index and standard metabolic risk factors.
Limits
The study design is cross-sectional, precluding causal or temporal inferences. The sample size is modest (n = 112) and restricted to older Latino participants in one geographic area. Cognitive outcomes and longitudinal brain changes were not evaluated in this report.
Cited by
- supports A study published in the Archives of Neurology found an inverse correlation between waist-to-hip ratio and hippocampal volume.