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Overweight in midlife and risk of dementia: a 40-year follow-up study

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 893–898 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

This study examines whether overweight in midlife increases dementia risk later in life.

Methods:

In 1963 body mass index was assessed in 1152 participants of The Swedish Twin Registry, at the age of 45–65 years. These participants were later screened for dementia in a prospective study with up to 40 years follow-up. A total of 312 participants were diagnosed with dementia.

Results:

Logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic factors, smoking and alcohol habits, indicated that men and women categorized as overweight in their midlife had an elevated risk of dementia (OR=1.59; 95% CI: 1.21–2.07, P=0.002), Alzheimer's disease (OR=1.71; 95% CI: 1.24–2.35, P=0.003), and vascular dementia (OR=1.55; 95% CI: 0.98–2.47, P=0.059). Further adjustments for diabetes and vascular diseases did not substantially affect the associations, except for vascular dementia (OR=1.36; 95% CI: 0.82–2.56, P=0.116), reflecting the significance of diabetes and vascular diseases in the etiology of vascular dementia. There was no significant interaction between overweight and APOE ɛ4 status, indicating that having both risk factors does not have a multiplicative effect with regard to dementia risk.

Conclusions:

This study gives further support to the notion that overweight in midlife increases later risk of dementia. The risk is increased for both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, and follows the same pattern for men and women.

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Acknowledgements

This study is supported by a grant from The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation and by grants from NIA (AG04563, AG08724, AG08861, AG10175). Data for the analyses were drawn from two Swedish twin studies of aging, the OCTO-Twin and SATSA supported by grants from NIA (AG04563, AG08724, AG08861, AG10175). None of the funding organizations had a role in design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis or interpretation of the data; or preparation, review or approval of the article. Dr Hassing had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analyses. The study concept and design was done by Hassing, Dahl, Gatz, Pedersen and Johansson. Berg, Gatz, Pedersen and Johansson were responsible for the acquisition of data. Hassing, Dahl, Thorvaldsson, Gatz and Johansson were responsible for the analysis and interpretation of data. Hassing drafted the article. Hassing, Dahl, Thorvaldsson, Berg, Gatz, Pedersen and Johansson were responsible for the critical revision of the article for important intellectual content. Hassing, Pedersen and Thorvaldsson was responsible for the statistical analyses. Hassing, Berg, Gatz, Pedersen and Johansson obtained funding. Administrative, technical and material support was given by Berg and Gatz. Study supervision was done by Gatz and Johansson.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    L B Hassing, V Thorvaldsson & B Johansson

  2. Institute of Gerontology, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden

    A K Dahl & S Berg

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    M Gatz & N L Pedersen

  4. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    M Gatz & N L Pedersen

Authors
  1. L B Hassing
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  2. A K Dahl
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  3. V Thorvaldsson
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  4. S Berg
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  5. M Gatz
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  6. N L Pedersen
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  7. B Johansson
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Correspondence to L B Hassing.

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Hassing, L., Dahl, A., Thorvaldsson, V. et al. Overweight in midlife and risk of dementia: a 40-year follow-up study. Int J Obes 33, 893–898 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.104

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.104

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