ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Aging Neurosci.
Sec. Neurocognitive Aging and Behavior
Volume 17 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1579874
This article is part of the Research TopicMechanisms and Interventions for Enhancing Cognitive Reserve in Aging PopulationsView all 6 articles
Internet Use, Physical Activity, and Cognitive Function in Chinese Older Adults: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- 1South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- 2Global Health Institute, School of Medicine, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- 3School of Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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Background With the arrival of an aging society, cognitive health in older adults has become a global focal point. Cross-sectional studies have shown that internet use and physical activity may significantly affect cognitive function in older adults, but their longitudinal relationships and underlying mechanisms have not been fully explored. Objective This study aims to explore the relationship between internet use, physical activity, and cognitive function, and examine the mediating role of physical activity. Methods This study uses two rounds of longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2018 and 2020), including a total of 2,383 individuals aged 60 and above. Crosslagged regression analysis is used to test the bidirectional relationship between internet use and cognitive function, while a semi-longitudinal mediation model is used to examine the mediating role of physical activity. Results The results indicate that there is a bidirectional relationship between internet use, physical activity levels, and cognitive function. Higher levels of internet use are associated with better cognitive function, and physical activity levels mediate the longitudinal relationship between internet use and cognitive function in older adults. Conclusion This study reveals the complex relationship between cognitive function, internet use, and physical activity in older adults, and provides new perspectives for interventions aimed at improving cognitive health in older adults. Future research should further explore the dynamic changes between these variables to develop more effective intervention strategies and improve cognitive health and well-being in older adults.
Keywords: Bidirectional relationship, physical activity, Cognitive Function, Internet use, Mediation model
Received: 19 Feb 2025; Accepted: 22 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang, Zhang, Huang, Wu and Tong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jin Tong, Global Health Institute, School of Medicine, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
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