Physical activity and its association with cognitive function in middle- and older-aged Chinese: Evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2015.

The association between cognitive function and PA depended largely on the intensity and area. Cultural context and geographical differences should be considered when designing intervention policies.Highlights The prevalence of PA increased as the intensity decreased and was higher in rural respondents than in urban respondents.Cognitive function was related to the intensity, frequency, and duration of PA. However, the magnitude and direction of the association depended mainly on the intensity and geographical area.VPA was negatively correlated with cognitive function, and the association was significant only in rural respondents. However, MPA and LPA were positively correlated with cognitive function, while the association between LPA and cognitive function was significant in both rural and urban respondents.