Decline in BMI, Waist Circumference Seen in Decade Before Dementia
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2025 -- Lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and higher high-density lipoprotein are seen in the decade preceding diagnosis of dementia, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Zimu Wu, Ph.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues conducted a case-control study involving a sample drawn from community-dwelling participants in the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly study. Dementia cases were matched to dementia-free controls for sociodemographic characteristics and time of diagnosis.
The analyses included 1,078 dementia cases and 4,312 controls. The researchers found that compared with controls, dementia cases had lower BMI for all years from −7 to 0 years and had lower waist circumference for all years from −10 to 0 years. Compared with controls, cases also had a faster decline in BMI and waist circumference. Cases generally had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, especially from five to three years before dementia, with a decline in levels just before diagnosis. Lower systolic blood pressure and triglycerides were seen in dementia cases in the decade before diagnosis, while higher low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels were seen; these levels were not significantly different from those of controls.
"These findings indicate that certain cardiometabolic factors may deviate from their usual levels before dementia," the authors write. "These differences may be risk factors or early indicators associated with cognitive impairment, suggesting the importance of dynamic monitoring."
Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
Read this next
Body Fat Percentage Better Predictor of 15-Year Mortality Than BMI
TUESDAY, July 1, 2025 -- For young adults, body fat percentage is a better predictor of 15-year mortality risk than body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online...
Degree of Weight Loss Affects Tirzepatide-Linked Cardiometabolic Risk Improvement
TUESDAY, July 1, 2025 -- For adults with obesity or overweight, tirzepatide-linked improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors are associated with the degree of weight reduction...
Lower Risk of Alzheimer Disease Seen for Breast Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, June 30, 2025 -- Breast cancer survivors have a lower risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) compared with cancer-free controls, according to a study published online June 20 in...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.