INTRODUCTION: China has the world's largest number of older adults with cognitive impairment (CI). We aimed to examine secular trends in the prevalence of CI in China from 2002 to 2018.METHODS: Generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to assess changes in CI trend in 44,154 individuals (72,027 observations) aged 65 to 105 years old.RESULTS: The prevalence of CI increased from 2002 to 2008 and then decreased until 2018. The age‐standardized prevalence increased from 25.7% in 2002, 26.1% in 2005, to 28.2% in 2008, then decreased to 26.0% in 2011, 25.3% in 2014, and 24.9% in 2018. Females and those ≥ 80 years old had greater CI prevalence.DISCUSSION: The prevalence of CI showed an inverted U shape from early 2000s to late 2010s with a peak in 2008. Follow‐up studies are needed to confirm the decreasing trend after 2008 and examine the contributing factors and underlying mechanisms of this trend.Highlights: Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to assess trends of changes in cognitive impairment (CI). CI prevalence in China increased from 2002 to 2008 and then decreased until 2018. Females and those ≥ 80 years old had greater CI prevalence. Stroke, diabetes, and cigarette smoking were risk factors for CI.

There is a lack of data on the adequacy of nutrient intake and prevalence of malnutrition risk in Asian populations. The aim was to report on the nutrient intake and prevalence of malnutrition risk in a community sample of older adults in Singapore. Analysis was performed on 738 (n = 206 male, n = 532 male, aged 67.6 ± 6.0 years) adults 60 years and above. Intakes of macro- and micronutrients were evaluated against the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Malnutrition risk was assessed using the Nutrition Screening Initiative Determine Your Nutritional Health checklist. It was found that 90.5% older adults exceeded the sugar intake, 68.5% males and 57.1% females exceeded the intake limit for saturated fat, and 33% males had inadequate dietary fiber intake when compared to the RDAs. Inadequate dietary calcium intake was found in 49.5% males and 55.3% females. There were 22.3% of older adults at moderate to high malnutrition risk. Singaporean older adults need to reduce their dietary intakes of sugar and saturated fat and increase their intakes in dietary fiber and calcium. Current findings provide public health awareness on the importance of healthy eating and will facilitate decision making by health promotors to deliver targeted nutrition care programs.

With the expansion of the ageing population, cognitive decline has become an increasingly pressing challenge. 1 As life expectancy increases, its socioeconomic burden is also increasing, highlighting the urgent need for effective interventions. Numerous studies suggest that specific dietary patterns and nutritional interventions may help mitigate cognitive decline associated with ageing.2 Among these, caloric restriction (CR), which aims to extend lifespan through reduced calorie intake, has gained significant research interest in recent years.3 However, the optimal CR regimen remains difficult to define due to the risk of malnutrition and other potential adverse effects. Moreover, maintaining long-term adherence to CR can be difficult for most individuals. Consequently, the use of caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs), compounds that replicate the physiological benefits of CR without requiring stringent dietary modifications, has emerged as a promising and potentially practical alternative. Among these, increasing evidence suggests that CR and intermittent fasting may elevate endogenous levels of spermidine (SPD), a polyamine compound now being investigated as a natural CRM candidate.4

Cognitive impairment is a growing public health concern, particularly in aging populations. While trends in CI prevalence in China were studied up to 2018, no previous research has explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected these trends. This study aims to extend the analysis to 2022, examining the impact of the pandemic on cognitive impairment prevalence. The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) data across multiple waves (2002 to 2022) was used (n=64,872). Cognitive impairment was assessed using a Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The rural/urban-sex-single age-specific prevalence of cognitive impairment across different waves were estimated using the DemoRates R package. Cognitive impairment trends before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were compared to identify any significant changes. In 2018 and previous waves, an average of 16,191 participants per wave were surveyed (four waves), with a cognitive impairment prevalence of 4.3%. In 2022, post-COVID-19, the survey included 14,022 participants and showed a significant increase in CI prevalence to 6.8%. The observed trends were independent of gender, age group, and residential environment (P-trend < 0.001). However, a significant decrease in mean calf circumference, increase in proportion of overweight participants, and increases in daily fruit and vegetable intake and regular physical activity were notable after the pandemic. The study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the observed increase in cognitive impairment prevalence in China, underscoring the importance of further research into the long-term cognitive effects of global health crises. These findings highlight the need to strengthen healthcare systems to support cognitive health in an aging population, while considering both pandemic-related and ongoing factors in the management of cognitive impairment.