Body Fat Percentage

A sample of Korean older adults showed the opposite pattern, possibly due to survival bias whereby obese individuals who survive to older age may carry genetic cognitive protection. Increased adiposity is associated with reduced hippocampal and subcortical grey matter volumes and with chronic systemic inflammation that can directly impair brain function. In females, every 1% increase in body fat was associated with a 6% increase in odds of both low short-term visual memory and low psychomotor coordination. No significant association between body fat percentage and cognitive outcomes was found in males.