Journal of Obesity

Research Article

The Association between Obesity and Cognitive Function in Otherwise Healthy Premenopausal Arab Women

Table 3

Correlation of cognitive parameters assessed using CANTAB with body mass index, body fat (%), and VO₂ max.


Name of CANTAB test and cognitive outcomes	BMI (kg/m²) r	VO₂ max r	Body fat (%) r

Reaction Time (RTI) for attention
Five-choice accuracy score (%)	−0.04	0.06	−0.05
Five-choice movement time (ms)	−0.03	−0.08	−0.03
Five-choice reaction time (ms)	0.25	−0.28	0.27
Simple movement time (ms)	−0.03	−0.08	−0.14
Simple reaction time (ms)	0.18	−0.14	0.18
Delayed Match to Sample (DMS) for memory
Mean correct latency (ms)	0.248	−0.11	0.18
Mean correct latency (all delays) (ms)	0.17	−0.06	0.15
Mean correct latency (simultaneous) (ms)	0.377	−0.17	0.232
Mean correct latency (0 ms delay) (ms)	0.214	0.02	0.15
Mean correct latency (4000 ms delay) (ms)	0.13	0.01	0.09
Mean correct latency (12000 ms delay) (ms)	0.01	−0.13	0.05
Percent correct (%)	−0.05	0.02	0.03
Percent correct (all delays) (%)	−0.06	0.05	0.02
Percent correct (simultaneous) (%)	0.03	−0.12	0.01
Percent correct (0 ms delay) (%)	−0.02	0.08	0.01
Percent correct (4000 ms delay) (%)	−0.13	0.13	−0.08
Percent correct (12000 ms delay) (%)	0.03	−0.09	0.09
Spatial Span (SSP) for memory
Span length (1–9)	−0.16	−0.05	−0.08
Total errors	−0.14	0.02	−0.13
Total usage errors	0.06	0.15	0.04
Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM)
Mean correct latency (ms)	0.209	−0.16	0.229
Percent correct (%)	−0.08	−0.02	−0.12
Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) for planning ability
Mean moves (2 moves)	0.04	−0.23	0.04
Mean moves (3 moves)	−0.05	0.07	−0.06
Mean moves (4 moves)	0.06	0.05	−0.01
Problems solved in minimum moves (0–12)	0.06	0.05	0.04

r: correlation coefficient; correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). ms: milliseconds; accuracy/correct (%) ranges from 0 to 100%. Span length is a discrete value (ranging from 1 to 9): the longest sequence participant correctly recalled. SOC parameters are all discrete. Mean move for 2, 3, or 4 is the average number of moves a participant takes to solve a problem that requires only 2, 3, or 4 moves, respectively. SOC: problems solved in minimum moves out of maximum possible 12.