The relationship between obesity and cognitive health and decline
Open accessAbstract
The relationship between obesity and cognitive impairment is important given the globally ageing population in whom cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders will carry grave individual, societal and financial burdens. This review examines the evidence for the link between obesity and cognitive function in terms of both the immediate effects on cognitive performance, and effects on the trajectory of cognitive ageing and likelihood of dementia. In mid-life, there is a strong association between obesity and impaired cognitive function. Anthropometric measures of obesity are also associated with reduced neural integrity (e.g. grey and white matter atrophy). Increasing age coupled with the negative metabolic consequences of obesity (e.g. type 2 diabetes mellitus) are likely to significantly contribute to cognitive decline and incidence of dementia. Stress is identified as a potential risk factor promoting abdominal obesity and contributing to impaired cognitive function. However, the potentially protective effects of obesity against cognitive decline in older age require further examination. Finally, surgical and whole diet interventions, which address obesity may improve cognitive capacity and confer some protection against later cognitive decline. In conclusion, obesity and its comorbidities are associated with impaired cognitive performance, accelerated cognitive decline and neurodegenerative pathologies such as dementia in later life. Interventions targeting mid-life obesity may prove beneficial in reducing the cognitive risks associated with obesity.
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Detrimental effects of excess weight on executive functions determine peoples' ability to break ingrained actions, such as unhealthy eating and physical exercise habits in obesity.
“Detrimental effects of excess weight on executive functions determine peoples’ ability to break ingrained actions, such as unhealthy eating and physical exercise habits in obesity.142”
From Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity (2025) · cites this paper as [142]
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- Authors
- Dye, L., Boyle, N. B., Champ, C., & Lawton, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Boyle, Neil Bernard
- Venue
- Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2017-09-11
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 443-454
- ISSN
- 0029-6651 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2719
- OpenAlex
- W2754857326
- Cited by
- 469
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 83 · 2023: 62 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 61 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 8
- FWCI
- 2.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of The Nutrition Society (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- obesity, cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, dementia, cognitive aging, neurodegeneration, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, stress, gray matter atrophy, white matter atrophy, bariatric surgery, dietary intervention, population aging
- MeSH terms
- Cognitive Aging, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Risk Factors, Cognitive Dysfunction
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