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Change in BMI and Cognition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: the Seattle Longitudinal Study

Emerick, Eric S
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1444137349

Abstract Details

2015, Master of Arts in Gerontology, Youngstown State University, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology.
Prior literature on the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and cognition has been inconsistent. Thus, these relationships were examined in 1,023 participants (54.5%female) from the 1998 and 2005 waves of the Seattle Longitudinal Study (SLS). Participants were divided into two groups for the purpose of comparison, a middle-aged group (n=587; Age Range=40-64 years) and an older adult group (n=436; Age Range=65-93 years). The SLS records cognitive data in six abilities. Health variables included BMI, hypertension and smoking. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses were used to examine relationships amongst change in BMI, cognition, hypertension, and smoking at both time points. Mean BMI for the study sample did not significantly change over time, but had a significant impact on predicting change in cognitive factor scores. A reduction in performance for change in verbal memory was identified with increased change in BMI for middle-aged adults, and an improvement in performance with change in verbal memory and change in spatial orientation with decreased change in BMI for older adults were found. Hypertension was not a significant mediator of the BMI- cognition relationships. However, smoking status was found to be a full mediator of the BMI-cognition relationship. Previous smoking at some time in the past explained the association between change in verbal memory and BMI over a seven-year period. The implications of this study yield new contributions to how increased BMI can negatively influence change in cognitive function in midlife adults, and how this association may change in older adulthood.
Daniel Van Dussen, PhD (Committee Chair)
Julie Boron, PhD (Committee Member)
Tiffany Hughes, PhD (Committee Member)
43 p.
Aging; Cognitive Psychology; Gerontology; Health
Body mass index, cognition; middle-aged and older adults; smoking status; hypertension status

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Emerick, E. S. (2015). Change in BMI and Cognition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: the Seattle Longitudinal Study [Master's thesis, Youngstown State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1444137349

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Emerick, Eric. Change in BMI and Cognition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: the Seattle Longitudinal Study. 2015. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1444137349.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Emerick, Eric. "Change in BMI and Cognition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: the Seattle Longitudinal Study." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1444137349

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1444137349
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.