Relationships Between Muscle Strength, Lung Function, And Cognitive Functionin Chinese Middle-aged And Older Adults: A Study Based On The China Healthand Retirement Longitudinal Study (charls)

Relationships Between Muscle Strength, Lung Function, and Cognitive Function in Chinese Middle-aged and Older Adults: A Study Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: As the population ages, concerns about cognitive decline have become increasingly relevant in medical consultations. This study aims to analyze the interaction between muscle strength, lung function, and cognitive function in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: This study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) wave 3, including 13,716 participants aged 45 years or older. Cognitive function was assessed through two dimensions. Muscle strength was measured using normalized grip strength and chair-standing time, while lung function was evaluated using peak expiratory flow (PEF). Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between these variables. A mediation model was constructed to examine further the relationship between muscle strength, lung function, and cognitive function. RESULTS: Muscle strength and lung function were significantly associated with cognitive function, and both acted as significant mediating factors. The association remained strong after adjusting for confounding variables. Total cognitive function scores were significantly correlated with grip strength (r = 0.33), chair-standing time (r = -0.27), and PEF (r = 0.32). Specifically, PEF exhibited a significant mediating role in the relationship between grip strength and cognitive function score (estimated indirect effect = 0.0132), and grip strength demonstrated a significant mediating role in the association between muscle strength and cognitive function score (estimated indirect effect = 0.0011). CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of addressing declines in muscle strength and lung function to identify risk factors associated with cognitive function. Understanding these relationships can provide insights into potential pathways linking these variables and may aid in better prevention of cognitive decline.