| Popis: |
According to body mass index (BMI) statistics, current data show that 34.9% of all adults in the U.S. are obese, with levels increasing in adults across income and education levels (Center for Disease Control; CDC, 2010). Prior literature on the relationship between BMI and cognition has revealed inconsistent findings, with some variation based upon ability investigated. Using a subsample of 759 middle-aged and older adult participants (mean age=60.91 years; SD=12.18; Range=40–93 years; 54.4% female; mean education level=15.80 years) from the 1998 and 2005 waves of the Seattle Longitudinal Study, BMI-cognition relationships were examined for six cognitive abilities. Participants were categorized by weight based on the CDC’s BMI standards: normal weight (n=305), overweight (n=261), and obese (n=193). Participants were stratified by the amount of days exercised in the past week: 0–3 days (n=455) or 4–7 days (n=274). Repeated measures MANCOVAs were employed, controlling for gender and education. A significant two-way interaction of BMI and exercise groups (F(5, 3529)=2.44, p=.032) indicated that both normal weight and obese adults bolstered cognitive performance when exercising 4–7 days rather than 0–3 days; however, overweight adults performed worse when exercising 4–7 days compared to 0–3 days. Current findings indicate that past exercise amount may play a role in cognitive performance. Discussion will consider possible reasons for these cognitive differences between exercise and BMI groups in the current sample. |
