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A network analysis of dietary patterns, social participation patterns, and cognitive function in Chinese older adults
Yudie Zhang1, Fang Yang1, Jun Wu1
1Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People's Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
Background:
Social participation and dietary patterns have been associated with cognitive function in older adults, and potential interactions may exist between social and behavioral factors. Understanding these associations may help identify potential targets for prevention and intervention efforts. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the network relationships among dietary patterns, social participation patterns, and cognitive function domains, and to visualize these complex associations using network analysis.
Methods:
A total of 9,539 adults aged ≥60 years were included from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS, 2017-2018). Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Dietary patterns and social participation patterns were derived based on commonly consumed foods and social activities. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was conducted to analyze the dose-response relationships. Network analysis was conducted to identify central and bridging nodes, and network stability was evaluated using case-dropping bootstrap procedures.
Results:
Network analysis revealed that M3 (Attention and Calculation), M5 (Language), and M1 (Orientation) showed the highest expected influence, while S3 (Leisure and Entertainment-based Social Participation), M3 (Attention and Calculation), and S1 (Housework-related Social Participation) showed the highest bridge strength. The correlation stability coefficient of the centrality, expected influence, and bridge strength is 0.75, indicating that the network exhibits good stability. RCS analyses revealed both linear and nonlinear dose-response relationships between lifestyle factors and cognitive function domains, with stronger effects observed at lower exposure levels for certain variables.
Conclusions:
This exploratory study identified complex associations among dietary patterns, social participation patterns, and cognitive function domains in Chinese older adults. These findings provide a basis for future longitudinal and interventional research.