Activity engagement and cognitive function among chinese older adults: moderating roles of gender and age

BACKGROUND: Many studies have found that engaging in activities, including physical exercise, social interaction, and cognitive training, is beneficial for preventing cognitive decline among older adults; however, the demographic differences in the association between activity engagement and cognitive functions remain understudied. This study investigates: (a) the influence of activity engagement on cognitive functions among Chinese older adults, and (b) the moderating roles of age and gender in these associations . METHODS: The data were derived from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2018, which included 9803 participants aged 60 or older. A multiple regression model was used to test the study hypotheses. RESULTS: Engaging in physical activity (b = 1.578, p < .001), social interaction (b = 1.199, p < .001), and cognitive activity (b = 1.468, p < .001) was positively associated with cognitive functions, whereas the effect of volunteer activities on cognitive functions was not significant (b = -.167, p = .390). Light- and moderate-intensity activities were beneficial for cognition (light: b = .847, p < .001; moderate: b = 1.189, p < .001), but vigorous-intensity activity was negatively related to cognition (b = -.767, p < .001). In addition, women and participants with advanced age appeared to benefit more from cognitive activities than their male and younger counterparts, respectively (gender: b = 1.217, p = .002; age: b = .086, p = .004). The adverse effects of vigorous-intensity activities (including agricultural work) on cognitive health were stronger for women and younger participants (gender: b = -1.472, p < .001; age: b = .115, p < .001). The protective effects of moderate-intensity activities on people’s cognition increased with increasing age (b = .055, p = .012). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that participating in physical, social, and cognitive activities can help older adults to maintain cognitive health. They suggest that older adults should select activities while considering activity intensity and their individual characteristics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-023-03912-3.