Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

'Boden Food Plate': Novel Interactive Web-based Method for the Assessment of Dietary Intake
Published on: September 18, 2018
Dietary Intake is Positively Associated with Cognitive Function of a Chinese Older Adults Sample
1Hui Hu, College of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1 Huangjiahu West Street, Wuhan 430065, China; Zhongyi90@163.com, Tel.: +86-27-68890390.
Objective:
The relationship between cognitive function and dietary intake in older adults was under-studied in China. This study examined this relationship in a Chinese sample while controlling for the effects of sleep quality and socio demographic confounders.
Methods:
The sample consisted of 340 Chinese older adults (age > 60) who were randomly selected from Wuhan city in central China. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-mental State Examination [MMSE], sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI], and dietary intake by frequencies of intake of meat products, fruits, fish/seafood/aquatic products, nuts and mushroom/algae over the past year. First, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate the measurement properties of cognitive function, dietary intake, and sleep quality. Second, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to examine the relations of cognitive function, dietary intake, and sleep quality.
Results:
Dietary intake was found to be positively related to cognitive function. Older age, lower education status, monthly income, and living alone or without a spouse were significantly associated with poorer cognitive function. SES status had an indirect effect on cognitive function via dietary intake.
Conclusion:
Dietary intake may be critical to maintain normal cognitive function of older adults in China.
Related Concept Videos
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
Cognitive Dissonance
Dietary Connections
Regulation of Water Intake
Regulation of Food Intake
Position-effect Variegation

