The Relationship between Visceral Adiposity and Cognitive Function: A Cross-sectional Study
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Abstract
Background: Central (visceral) obesity and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours are increasingly recognised as modifiable risk factors for early cognitive decline, yet the role of refined anthropometric markers such as A Body Shape Index (ABSI) in predicting domain-specific cognitive impairment in Indian adults remains poorly understood.
Objective: To determine the utility of ABSI score in predicting cognitive impairment.
Methods: This single-centre, hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study included 100 adults (18–67 years) recruited by convenience sampling, after obtaining IHEC approval and written informed consent. Anthropometry (including ABSI), FANTASTIC lifestyle scores and cognitive domains (reasoning, memory, attention, coordination, perception) were assessed using standardised procedures, and data were analysed in SPSS v27 with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Among 100 adults, 60.0% were aged ≤30 years, 40.0% >30 years, and 53.0% were male; most resided in the city (71.0%). The mean ABSI z-score was −0.44 ± 1.80 and mean FANTASTIC lifestyle score was 59.92 ± 6.67, with 71.0% classified as having a good lifestyle and only 8.0% a very good lifestyle. Mean cognitive scores ranged from 306.67 ± 143.36 (coordination) to 325.15 ± 141.52 (reasoning). ABSI showed weak, largely non-significant correlations with most domains, but had a significant negative association with perception (r = −0.274, p = 0.006). Lifestyle scores correlated only trivially with cognition. ABSI did not differ by age but was higher in females than males (0.105 vs −0.926; p = 0.004); females also had better memory scores (p = 0.026).
Conclusion: A Body Shape Index showed only a modest, domain-specific association with cognition and lifestyle scores were not related to cognitive performance, suggesting that in this relatively young adult cohort ABSI and lifestyle measures alone had limited utility for identifying early cognitive impairment.