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The body fat-cognition relationship in healthy older individuals: Does gynoid vs android distribution matter?

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

To examine the relationship between regional and whole body fat accumulation and core cognitive executive functions.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Settings and participants

78 healthy men and women aged between 65 and 75 years recruited through consumer’s database.

Measurements

DXA measured percentage total body fat, android, gynoid distribution and android/gynoid ratio; inhibition and working memory updating through Random Number Generation test and cognitive flexibility by Trail Making test. First-order partial correlations between regional body fat and cognitive executive function were computed partialling out the effects of whole body fat. Moderation analysis was performed to verify the effect of gender on the body fat-cognition relationship.

Results

Results showed a differentiated pattern of fat-cognition relationship depending on fat localization and type of cognitive function. Statistically significant relationships were observed between working memory updating and: android fat (r = -0.232; p = 0.042), gynoid fat (r = 0.333; p = 0.003) and android/gynoid ratio (r = -0.272; p = 0.017). Separating genders, the only significant relationship was observed in females between working memory updating and gynoid fat (r = 0.280; p = 0.045). In spite of gender differences in both working memory updating and gynoid body fat levels, moderation analysis did not show an effect of gender on the relationship between gynoid fat and working memory updating.

Conclusions

Results suggest a protective effect of gynoid body fat and a deleterious effect of android body fat. Although excessive body fat increases the risk of developing CDV, metabolic and cognitive problems, maintaining a certain proportion of gynoid fat may help prevent cognitive decline, particularly in older women. Guidelines for optimal body composition maintenance for the elderly should not target indiscriminate weight loss, but weight maintenance through body fat/lean mass control based on non-pharmacological tools such as physical exercise, known to have protective effects against CVD risk factors and age-related cognitive deterioration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Health and Movement Sciences, University of Rome «Foro Italico», Roma, 00135, Italy

    Roberta Forte & C. Pesce

  2. Institute for Sport and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Roberta Forte, G. de Vito & C. A. G. Boreham

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  1. Roberta Forte
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  2. C. Pesce
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  3. G. de Vito
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  4. C. A. G. Boreham
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Correspondence to Roberta Forte.

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Forte, R., Pesce, C., de Vito, G. et al. The body fat-cognition relationship in healthy older individuals: Does gynoid vs android distribution matter?. J Nutr Health Aging 21, 284–292 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-016-0783-1

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