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Body Mass Index, Age, and Neurocognitive Functioning

Stanek, Kelly Marie
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1308527788

Abstract Details

2011, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
Cognitive dysfunction and structural brain abnormalities have been observed in obese versus lean individuals, but with variability across age and weight groups. This study was designed to clarify the cognitive profile of obesity by examining performance across multiple cognitive domains in adults with wide-ranging age and weight status. A total of 732 participants (60% women; ages 18-87; BMI range 19-75) underwent assessment of cognitive functioning and relevant medical/demographic covariates. Neuropsychological tests were grouped by cognitive domain (via confirmatory factor analysis), and standardized scores were averaged into composite variables. Hierarchical linear regression analyses examined main effects of BMI, as well as an interaction between BMI and aging, in predicting these cognitive domains. Significant main effects for BMI were observed for motor and attention/processing speed, whereas a significant interaction between BMI and age was observed for predicting executive functioning. BMI was not independently associated with memory or language functioning and no interaction effects were observed for these variables. Results indicate that BMI is independently associated with decreased attention, processing speed, and fine motor speed, but not memory or language, across the adult lifespan. Although BMI was not independently related to executive dysfunction, a significant age x BMI interaction suggests that obesity-related executive deficits may increase with age. Overall, these findings support a hypothesized primary frontosubcortical pathology that manifests itself gradually from slowing to more evident executive deficits with age in obese individuals. Prospective studies should explore these possibilities.
John Gunstad, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Yossef Ben-Porath, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
John Updegraff, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jacob Barkley, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Ann Jacobson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
59 p.
Psychology
Obesity; cognitive dysfunction; aging

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Stanek, K. M. (2011). Body Mass Index, Age, and Neurocognitive Functioning [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1308527788

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Stanek, Kelly. Body Mass Index, Age, and Neurocognitive Functioning. 2011. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1308527788.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Stanek, Kelly. "Body Mass Index, Age, and Neurocognitive Functioning." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1308527788

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1308527788
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.