Aim
Lifestyle factors may influence cognitive function. Therefore, we compared the risk of cognitive impairment (COI) of all possible combinations of three lifestyle factors—tea consumption, physical activity, and siesta (afternoon nap or rest)—to the absence of any of these lifestyle factors.
Methods
This cross‐sectional study consisted of 4579 community‐dwelling Chinese individuals aged 60 years or older living in Suzhou. Among the subjects were 3634 participants with normal cognition and 945 who had been diagnosed with COI according to the Abbreviated Mental Test. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with a multivariate‐adjusted model by logistic regression.
Results
Individually, tea consumption and physical activity significantly lowered the risk of COI to 0.66 (95%CI: 0.48–0.90) and 0.79 (95%CI: 0.65–0.96), respectively. In combination, physical activity and siesta reduced the risk of COI to the greatest extent (OR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.31–0.64). Based on multivariate adjustment, almost all combinations of factors had a significant negative association with COI, but the combination of tea consumption and siesta had an irrelevant correlation with COI. All combinations of lifestyle factors had a lower OR than any single lifestyle factor among the correlations that were significant.
Conclusion
Based on our findings, engaging in physical activity in combination with either or both of the other lifestyle factors was associated with a lower OR of having COI than adhering on a single factor in elderly Chinese people.