Association between physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults aged 65 years and above in longevity areas of China

Objective: To explore the relationships between physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas in China. Methods: A total of 6 081 older adults aged ≥65 years from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study in China in 2021 were included in this study. Information about their demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and chronic disease histories were collected, the intensity of physical activity was evaluated by using Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and the cognitive function was evaluated by using Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (Chinese version). Multifactorial logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between different levels and types of physical activity and cognitive impairment in older adults. Results: In the 6 081 older adults, 1 829 (30.1%) had cognitive impairment. After adjusting for confounders, older adults with T₂ and T₃ levels of physical activity had lower risks for cognitive impairment compared with those with T₁ levels of physical activity, with ORs of 0.47 (95%CI: 0.40-0.55) and 0.22 (95%CI: 0.18-0.28). The results of different types of physical activities showed that the ORs in leisure activity T₂ and T₃ groups were 0.52 (95%CI: 0.44-0.63) and 0.49 (95%CI: 0.41-0.58), and the ORs in housework activity T₂ and T₃ groups were 0.36 (95%CI: 0.30-0.42) and 0.19 (95%CI: 0.16-0.24). There was no significant association between work-related activity and cognitive impairment. Conclusion: There is a negative association between the intensity level of physical activity and cognitive impairment, and active leisure and household activities might reduce the risk for cognitive impairment.