Childhood Conditions and Cognitive Function in Mid- to Late Life: The Case of China

• In Event: 067 - Section on Aging and the Life Course Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 07. Contextual and Life Course Influences on Memory and Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Little research to date has examined the association between childhood conditions and cognitive function in mid- to late life in developing countries. This study examined the association between multiple aspects of childhood conditions and cognitive function in a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in China from the 2011-2012 baseline survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N=11,994). We found that indicators of childhood socioeconomic status (SES), health, and nutrition were significantly associated with cognitive function in mid- to late life in China, and that the associations were substantially attenuated after controlling for adulthood SES. However, the relationship between indicators of childhood SES and nutrition and cognitive function remained statistically significant after adjusting for adulthood SES, health, and other covariates, whereas the association between childhood health and cognitive function was no longer significant after controlling for either adulthood SES or health. Taken together, our results suggest that societal and family investments in children’s health, nutrition, and education may pay dividends many decades later in terms of cognitive health.

Authors

• Zhenmei Zhang, Michigan State University

• Liu Jinyu, Columbia University

• Lydia Li, University of Michigan

• Hongwei Xu, University of Michigan