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Purpose This study aims to verify that the mental-cognitive domain of the validated generic bio-functional status (BFS)/bio-functional age (BFA) assessment tool, incorporating the concept of Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA), reflects cognitive performance. In addition, the effects of chronic stress exposure on the mental-cognitive BFS/BFA should be investigated. Methods The study was carried out as a monocenter, cross-sectional, observational, non-interventional trial (Bern Cohort Study 2014, BeCS-14) with the participation of 147 non-pediatric, non-geriatric subjects. All participants followed a standardized battery of biopsychosocial assessments consisting of BFS/BFA, a validated cognitive performance test battery (Inventar zur Gedächtnisdiagnostik; IGD) and a validated questionnaire for the assessment of chronic stress (Trier Inventory for the assessment of Chronic Stress; TICS), respectively. Results Mean cognitive performance was average and higher in younger or better educated individuals. The BFA of the participants was 7.8 ± 7.8 year-equivalents below their chronological age. The mental-cognitive BFS/BFA assessment correlated well with the validated questionnaire for cognition assessment, the IGD. Further, three TICS subdomains (work overload (r = − 0.246, p = 0.003), work discontent (r = − 0.299, p = 0.006) and pressure to succeed (r = − 0.274, p Conclusions Our study shows that the BFS/BFA assessment tool follows European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA) requirements. Further, we could demonstrate that higher levels of chronic work-related stress may be associated with poorer mental-cognitive performance and a pro-aging state indicating that cognitive impairments can be reduced by stress management interventions.