Association of depressive symptoms and physical activity profile with cognitive function in individuals with obesity candidates for bariatric surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity is a major global health issue, associated with physical, psychological, and behavioral impacts. Sedentary lifestyles and depressive symptoms, common in individuals with obesity, may contribute to cognitive decline. Objective: To analyze the association between physical activity levels, the presence of depressive symptoms, and cognitive function performance in individuals with obesity. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study conducted with preoperative bariatric surgery patients at the “removed for anonymized review” in “removed for anonymized review”. Assessments included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Mini–Mental State Examination, and a general clinical form. Data were collected via Research Electronic Data Capture and analyzed with R software (version 4.5). Results: The sample included 100 individuals (mean body mass index: 41.2 ± 5.2); 58% were physically active, 42% sedentary, and 26% had clinically significant depressive symptoms. Multiple linear regression indicated a mean cognitive function score of 28.52 in the reference group (P < 0.001), with no significant association with sedentary behavior (β = +0.24; P = 0.469) or absence of depressive symptoms (β = −0.36; P = 0.398). Higher education was associated with better cognitive performance, particularly among those with completed higher education (β = +1.67; P < 0.001) and incomplete higher education (β = +1.25; P = 0.019). The model was statistically significant (F: P =0.004). Conclusion: Educational level was shown to be the main determinant of cognitive function in individuals with obesity, whereas depressive symptoms and sedentary behavior showed no significant association.