Higher childhood BMI and waist circumference were associated with poorer cognitive flexibility (BMI β = −0.240, waist circumference β = −0.260, P < .05) in young adults.
Do cardiovascular risk factors from infancy to adolescence associate with poorer cognitive function in young adulthood?
Adverse cardiovascular risk factors from infancy to adolescence, including high BMI, large waist circumference, adverse lipid profile, and higher blood pressure, are associated with poorer cognitive function in young adulthood.
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OBJECTIVE Cardiovascular health promotion in adulthood is crucial for early prevention of cognitive decline, but prior data on the role of promotion starting from infancy are scarce. We studied the associations between cardiovascular risk factors from infancy to young adulthood and young adulthood cognitive function. METHODS Participants from the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project were observed from infancy to young adulthood on cardiovascular risk factors including serum lipids, glucose metabolism markers, blood pressure, and obesity markers. Exposure in early childhood (age 7 months to 5 years), childhood (6–10 years), early adolescence (11–15 years), and adolescence (16–20 years) were defined. Learning and memory, verbal memory, working memory, reaction time, information processing, and cognitive flexibility were measured at age 26 years. RESULTS Higher childhood and early adolescence body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference associated inversely with cognitive flexibility (BMI: β = −0.240, 95% CI −0.48 to −0.00, P = .05; β = −0.315, 95% CI −0.57 to −0.06, P = .01; waist circumference: β = −0.260, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.01, P = .04; β = −0.257, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.01, P = .05); corresponding associations were observed between BMI and information processing (β = −0.308, 95% CI −0.53 to −0.09, P = .006; β = −0.243, 95% CI −0.47 to −0.01, P = .04). Higher adolescence and early adolescence low-density lipoprotein cholesterol associated inversely with verbal memory (β = −0.268, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.02, P = .03; β = −0.264, 95% CI −0.52 to −0.01, P = .04). Lower childhood and adolescence high-density lipoprotein cholesterol associated inversely with cognitive flexibility (β = −0.318, 95% CI −0.56 to −0.07, P = .01; β = −0.260, 95% CI −0.52 to −0.00, P = .05). Higher systolic blood pressure in childhood associated inversely with cognitive flexibility (β = −0.316, 95% CI −0.58 to −0.06, P = .02). CONCLUSION Adverse serum lipid profile, high BMI, large waist circumference, and higher blood pressure from infancy to adolescence may associate with poorer cognitive function in young adulthood.
Salo et al. (Thu,) reported a other. Higher childhood BMI and waist circumference were associated with poorer cognitive flexibility (BMI β = −0.240, waist circumference β = −0.260, P < .05) in young adults.