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P4‐409: THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIABESITY AND DEMENTIA: FINDINGS FROM THE MEXICAN HEALTH AND AGING STUDY
Author(s) -
Milani Sadaf Arefi,
Lopez David,
Downer Brian,
Samper-Ternent Rafael,
Wong Rebeca
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.06.4081
Subject(s) - dementia , obesity , medicine , diabetes mellitus , odds ratio , gerontology , logistic regression , risk factor , demography , disease , endocrinology , sociology
Background: Mexico has one of the highest rates of diabetes and obesity worldwide. Diabetes is an established risk factor for dementia, but the association between obesity and dementia is less clear. Obesity in middle-aged adults has been associated with an increased risk for dementia whereas obesity later in life may be protective. Diabesity, the co-occurrence of diabetes and obesity, is common but little is known about the magnitude of the association between diabesity and dementia. Methods: Using data from the 2012 wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), a nationally representative study of Mexicans aged 50 and over, we examined the association of diabesity with dementia. Participants aged 50 and over with complete information on their age, education, cognition, obesity status, diabetes status, and other relevant health variables were included in these analyses (n1⁄412,588). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between diabesity and dementia. An interaction term between diabesity and decade of age was included to determine if the association varied by age; thus, analyses were stratified by decade of age.Results: Overall, 58.0% of participants did not report obesity or diabetes, 18.5% reported obesity only, 16.3% reported diabetes only, and 7.2% reported diabesity. Diabetes alone was significantly associated with an increased odds of dementia among those aged 50-59 (OR: 3.55; 95% CI: 1.93, 6.52), 60-69 (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.81), and 70-79 (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.22), but not among those aged 80 and over (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.88, 1.96). Obesity only and diabesity were not significantly associated with dementia in any age groups. Conclusions: While in all age groups, except for those aged 80 and over, diabetes was associated with a higher risk of dementia, co-occurrence with obesity attenuated that risk. This may suggest a confounding effect of obesity among older adults in this population and should be further evaluated.