Worse Metabolic Health Tracks With Faster Mental Decline
Graded Moderate — two long-term studies with 3,472 older adults in China; because they only observed, they cannot show that metabolic health causes the decline.
- Design
- Prospective cohort study
- Participants
- 3,472
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- —
Older adults with more severe metabolic problems lost thinking ability faster over the years.
A large waistline, unhealthy blood fats, high blood pressure and raised blood sugar often come as a package. Doctors call it metabolic syndrome. Two long-running studies in China found that the more severe this cluster was in older adults, the faster their thinking skills slipped over the years.
Researchers followed 3,472 people aged 60 and over, from Hubei Province and from a nationwide survey. Instead of a simple yes or no diagnosis, they gave each person a score. It combined waist size, blood fats, "good" HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar. People with a higher score at the start lost overall thinking ability faster. The quarter with the worst scores over time saw their memory decline faster each year than the quarter with the best scores. Planning and self-control showed no clear link.
The results held when people under 65 or with thinking problems at the start were left out. Whether better metabolic health protects the mind cannot be read from this, because the study only observed. The follow-up was also fairly short.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.