Body roundness index as a predictor of depression in dementia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Depression is a frequent neuropsychiatric symptom in dementia, yet metabolic contributors remain poorly understood. Central adiposity may be involved, but conventional anthropometric measures may inadequately capture obesity in older adults. This cross-sectional study included 601 community-dwelling individuals aged 60–91 years evaluated at a memory clinic between 2015 and 2024. Dementia was diagnosed using DSM-5 criteria for Major Neurocognitive Disorder, and depressive symptoms were assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Obesity was evaluated using multiple anthropometric indices, including Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, Waist-to-Height Ratio, A Body Shape Index, Conicity Index, Weight-Adjusted Waist Index, and Body Roundness Index (BRI). No measure was associated with depression in the overall sample. Among individuals with dementia, higher BRI was associated with increased odds of depression, with those in the highest quartile showing more than threefold greater odds. These findings suggest that BRI may better capture central adiposity relevant to depression in dementia.