Decline in BMI, Waist Circumference Seen in Decade Before Dementia

FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and higher high-density lipoprotein are seen in the decade preceding diagnosis of dementia, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Network Open.

Zimu Wu, Ph.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues conducted a case-control study involving a sample drawn from community-dwelling participants in the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly study. Dementia cases were matched to dementia-free controls for sociodemographic characteristics and time of diagnosis.

The analyses included 1,078 dementia cases and 4,312 controls. The researchers found that compared with controls, dementia cases had lower BMI for all years from −7 to 0 years and had lower waist circumference for all years from −10 to 0 years. Compared with controls, cases also had a faster decline in BMI and waist circumference. Cases generally had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, especially from five to three years before dementia, with a decline in levels just before diagnosis. Lower systolic blood pressure and triglycerides were seen in dementia cases in the decade before diagnosis, while higher low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels were seen; these levels were not significantly different from those of controls.

“These findings indicate that certain cardiometabolic factors may deviate from their usual levels before dementia,” the authors write. “These differences may be risk factors or early indicators associated with cognitive impairment, suggesting the importance of dynamic monitoring.”

Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text