Background: Some studies have demonstrated an association between low and high body mass index (BMI) and an increased risk of dementia. However, only a few of these studies were performed in rural areas.
Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between BMI and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults from rural and urban areas.
Methods: 8,221 older persons enrolled in the Hubei Memory & Ageing Cohort Study (HMACS) were recruited. Sociodemographic and lifestyle data, comorbidities, physical measurements, and clinical diagnoses of cognitive impairment were analyzed. Logistic regression was performed to assess the associations of BMI categories with cognitive impairment. A series of sensitivity analyses were conducted to test whether reverse causality could influence our results.
Results: Being underweight in the rural-dwelling participants increased the risk of cognitive impairment. Being overweight was a protective factor in rural-dwelling participants aged 65-69 years and 75-79 years, whereas being underweight was significantly associated with cognitive impairment (OR, 1.37; 95% CI: 1.03-1.83; p < 0.05). Sensitivity analyses support that underweight had an additive effect on the odds of cognitive impairment and was related to risk of dementia. Interaction test revealed that the differences between urban/rural in the relationship between BMI and cognitive impairment are statistically significant.
Conclusion: Associations between BMI and cognitive impairment differ among urban/rural groups. Older people with low BMI living in rural China are at a higher risk for dementia than those living in urban areas.
Keywords: Body mass index; cognitive impairment; community–dwelling older adults; cross–sectional study; rural–urban disparity.