The bi-directional relationships between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function in older adults in China: separating between-person effects from within-person effects

Objective To examine the bi-directorial association between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function over a 7-year period. Methods Data analyzed was from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a large-scale longitudinal national study. The baseline survey was conducted in 2011 with follow-up every three years. We traced a total of 2718 participants over a period of 7 years. We used adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to examine the bi-directorial associations between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function. Results We observed bi-directorial associations between diversity of leisure activity and cognitive function across waves at the between-person and within-person levels. The adjusted random intercept cross-lagged panel models fitted the data appropriately, and the 3-year cross-lagged effects of prior diversified leisure activity participation on cognitive function (beta = 0.058, p < 0.01) and cognitive function on subsequent diversified leisure activity participation (beta = 0.047, p < 0.05) were significant. The results remained after adjusting the model for baseline sex, age, educational level, marital status and current residence, the number of chronic diseases, ADL, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, smoking, and drinking. Conclusion This study suggests that a reciprocal causality relationship between diversified leisure activity participation and cognitive function, indicating a "positive circle" that further promotes cognition over time.