Chest width, waist circumference, and thigh circumference are predictors of dementia

Objective: Few studies have investigated the relationship between specific body measures and dementia. Methods: Three-dimensional anthropometric body surface scanning data containing 38 body measures were collected from 6831 participants from the health examination department of a medical center in Taiwan during 2000 to 2008, and 236 dementia cases were identified during the 10-year follow-up. A multiple Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: Specific body measures, namely chest width (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83–0.98), and right thigh circumference (HR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.90–0.96), were protective predictors to dementia occurrence. Waist circumference (HR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.02–1.05) was a risk factor in dementia occurrence. Among the combinations, dementia risk was higher in participants with a larger waist circumference and a smaller right thigh circumference, with the highest HR of 2.49 (95% CI = 1.54–4.03). Conclusion: The body measures provide clues for future applications and scientific merits in both clinical and preventive medicine.