Overview

• A Pennsylvania State University team examined more than 11 years of weight, BMI and waist measurements from over 4,000 adults aged 65 and older.
• Greater year-to-year variability in body weight correlated with faster cognitive decline across analyses.
• Losing at least 5% of body weight or repeatedly cycling losses and gains of that magnitude was linked to accelerated decline.
• Participants who gained weight showed decline similar to those with stable weight, according to the study.
• The authors stress the findings are observational and do not recommend intentional weight gain, as late-life weight dynamics are complex and the work does not prove causation.