Multimorbidity, healthy lifestyle, and the risk of cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults: a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract Background Evidence on the association between multimorbidity and cognitive impairment in Chinese older population is limited. In addition, whether a healthy lifestyle can protect cognitive function in multimorbid older population remains unknown. Methods A total of 6116 participants aged ≥ 65 years from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were followed up repeatedly. The number of coexisting chronic diseases was used for assessing multimorbidity and cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Three lifestyle statuses (unhealthy, intermediate, and healthy) were defined based on a lifestyle score covering smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, outdoor activities, and dietary pattern. Cognitive impairment was defined as the Mini-Mental State Examination score