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Obesity, diabetes and cognitive deficit: The Framingham Heart Study
Elias MF, Elias PK, Sullivan LM, Wolf PA, D'Agostino RB.. Neurobiology of aging, 2005-10-11
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To determine the independent effects of obesity on cognitive performance and to examine interactions between obesity and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Methods Using a prospective design, male (n=551) and female (n=872) participants of the Framingham Heart Study were classified as obese (yes/no), diabetic (yes/no), and the number of diabetes-years was determined by data collected over an 18-year surveillance period. All subjects were free from dementia, stroke, and clinically diagnosed cardiovascular disease up to the time of cognitive testing. Statistical models were adjusted for age, education, occupation, native language, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Body mass index status (non-obese or obese) and NIDDM status (diabetic/non-diabetic) were related to cognitive performance on multiple cognitive measures. Results Adverse effects of obesity on cognitive performance were observed for men only. Diabetes-years related to poorer cognitive performance, but only when men and women were combined for analyses. Neither diabetes nor diabetes-years by obesity interactions were observed. Conclusions The gender-specific results for obesity, but not for diabetes, suggests that the underlying mechanisms linking them to cognition may be different.
Key findings
- Results Adverse effects of obesity on cognitive performance were observed for men only.
- Conclusions The gender-specific results for obesity, but not for diabetes, suggests that the underlying mechanisms linking them to cognition may be different.
Why it matters
In this prospective study, adverse effects of obesity on cognitive performance were observed for men only, and diabetes-years related to poorer cognitive performance only when men and women were combined. The gender-specific results for obesity, but not for diabetes, suggest that the mechanisms linking them to cognition may be different.
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Study details
- Participants551
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (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 | 2005 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 551 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 393 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.1 citations a year over 23 year(s) since 2005 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Ralph B. D’Agostino: h-index 237 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16223549) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Elias, M. F., Elias, P. K., Sullivan, L. M., Wolf, P. A., & D'Agostino, R. B. (2005). Obesity, diabetes and cognitive deficit: The Framingham Heart Study. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.019
Vancouver
Elias MF, Elias PK, Sullivan LM, Wolf PA, D'Agostino RB. Obesity, diabetes and cognitive deficit: The Framingham Heart Study. Neurobiology of aging. 2005. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.019. PMID: 16223549.
BibTeX
@article{elias2005-16223549,
author = {Elias, M. F. and Elias, P. K. and Sullivan, L. M. and Wolf, P. A. and D'Agostino, R. B.},
title = {{Obesity, diabetes and cognitive deficit: The Framingham Heart Study}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2005},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.019},
pmid = {16223549},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.08.019}
}
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