A healthy diet and physical activity are important to promote healthy ageing among older Chinese people

Objective: To examine the associations between multiple health behaviours and health out- comes among older Chinese adults.
Methods: Data from the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health Wave 1 (2007–2010), collected among the older Chinese population, were included in this study. Smoking, diet, and physical activity were analysed by linear regression for any associations with depressive symptoms, quality of life (QoL), cognitive function, and physical function.
Results: A total of 13367 participants aged >49years were included in the analyses. After controlling for key socioeconomic factors, healthy diet was significantly associated with higher QoL (b 1⁄4 0.099) and better cognitive function (b 1⁄4 0.023). Physical activity was significantly asso- ciated with fewer depressive symptoms (b 1⁄4 –0.020), higher QoL (b 1⁄4 0.086), better cognitive function (b1⁄40.072), and better physical function (b1⁄4–0.155 [higher scores1⁄4poorer physical function]). No relationship was found between smoking and any health-related outcome included in this study.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of healthy diet and physical activity for health outcomes in the older Chinese population.