Adiposity and cognitive function – what’s the link?

In recent cohort study (n=11,103) based on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, increased body mass index and waist circumference, measures of adiposity, correlated to poorer follow-up episodic memory (β=-0.04, CI -0.07, -0.01) but better vocabulary task performance (β=0.03, CI 0.002, 0.06).
Higher baseline cognition scores were associated with better long-term adiposity status, suggesting a potential protective role against increased adiposity.
The authors concluded that there is a complex bidirectional relationship between cognition and adiposity whereby the brain can be both a risk factor and outcome of adiposity.