Publication: The relationship between dietary vitamin b12 intake, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), with the risk of dementia among older adults in Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan
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Date
2025-06
Authors
Nizam, Siti Nur Atikah Shaiful
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Dementia is a growing public health concern among the aging population and is influenced by multiple factors including nutrition and body composition. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and vitamin B12 intake with the risk of dementia among 132 older adults aged 60 years and above in Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Kelantan. Sociodemographic information, anthropometric data, dietary intake, and cognitive function scores were collected. 24 hours diet recall is used to measure the vitamin B12 intake, so that the entire’s diet of the participants can be captured. Then, for the cognitive status, Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III is used as a screening tool to identify if the participants have the high risk of develop dementia or not. The results revealed a significant negative correlation between BMI (r = -0.185, p = 0.034) and WHR (r = -0.191, p = 0.029) with cognitive status, indicating that higher body fat was associated with lower cognitive performance. In contrast, vitamin B12 intake showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.395, p < 0.001), showing that vitamin B12 might help protect brain health. However, these three variables are not the only factors influencing dementia risk. There are many other factors like increasing age, lower education level, or limited household income may also influence the risk of dementia among older adults. Nonetheless, it is suggested that more studies should be conducted to provide a clearer understanding of the multiple factors contributing to cognitive decline among older adults, particularly in relation to nutritional intake and body composition, to ensure effective strategies can be implemented for the prevention of dementia
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