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2003-2013: a decade of body mass index, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia
Emmerzaal TL, Kiliaan AJ, Gustafson DR.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2015-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The occurrence of obesity, commonly estimated using body mass index (BMI), and the most common late-onset dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), are increasing globally. The year 2013 marked a decade of epidemiologic observational reports on the association between BMI and late-onset dementias. In this review, we highlight epidemiological studies that measured both mid- and late-life BMI in association with dementia.
Key findings
- The year 2013 marked a decade of epidemiologic observational reports on the association between BMI and late-onset dementias.
- In this review, we highlight epidemiological studies that measured both mid- and late-life BMI in association with dementia.
- Studies investigating the association between midlife BMI and risk for dementia demonstrated generally an increased risk among overweight and obese adults.
- When measured in late-life, elevated BMI has been associated with lower risk.
Why it matters
This review of epidemiologic studies found that midlife overweight and obesity were generally associated with increased dementia risk, while elevated late-life BMI was associated with lower risk. It reports observational associations only and does not show any treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 290 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.3 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 14.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 62 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Deborah Gustafson: h-index 59 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25147111) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Emmerzaal, T. L., Kiliaan, A. J., & Gustafson, D. R. (2015). 2003-2013: a decade of body mass index, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-141086
Vancouver
Emmerzaal TL, Kiliaan AJ, Gustafson DR. 2003-2013: a decade of body mass index, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2015. doi:10.3233/jad-141086. PMID: 25147111.
BibTeX
@article{emmerzaal2015-25147111,
author = {Emmerzaal, T. L. and Kiliaan, A. J. and Gustafson, D. R.},
title = {{2003-2013: a decade of body mass index, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.3233/jad-141086},
pmid = {25147111},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-141086}
}
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