Longitudinal relationship of baseline functional brain networks with intentional weight loss in older adults

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine whether the degree of weight loss after 6 months of a behavior‐based intervention is related to baseline connectivity within two functional networks (FNs) of interest, FN1 and FN2, in a group of older adults with obesity. METHODS: Baseline functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected following an overnight fast in 71 older adults with obesity involved in a weight‐loss intervention. Functional brain networks in a resting state and during a food‐cue task were analyzed using a mixed‐regression framework to examine the relationships between baseline networks and 6‐month change in weight. RESULTS: During the resting condition, the relationship of baseline brain functional connectivity and network clustering in FN1, which includes the visual cortex and sensorimotor areas, was significantly associated with 6‐month weight loss. During the food‐cue condition, 6‐month weight loss was significantly associated with the relationship between baseline brain connectivity and network global efficiency in FN2, which includes executive control, attention, and limbic regions. CONCLUSION: These findings provide further insight into complex functional circuits in the brain related to successful weight loss and may ultimately aid in developing tailored behavior‐based treatment regimens that target specific brain circuitry.