ArticleSSM - population health2025
The association between sports social capital and cognitive health: A longitudinal study of middle-aged and elderly adults in China.
Article in SSM - population health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Machine Learning for the Analysis of Healthy Lifestyle Data: Scoping Review and Guidelines.JMIR human factors · 2026Guideline
- Physical Activity and Adolescent Mental Health in China: The Mediating Role of Social Capital.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Does public spending on sports improve people's health? Empirical evidence from China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Quality of Life, Physical Activity, and Mental and Physical Health Status in Croatian Middle-Aged and Elderly Population.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This study examines the association between sports social capital and cognitive health in middle-aged and elderly individuals in China. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and deep learning methods, we analyze interactions between sports social capital, cognitive function, and various health behaviors across multiple time points. Findings reveal that baseline cognitive scores and education are key predictors of cognitive health, consistent with cognitive reserve theory. Importantly, education amplifies the benefits of sports social capital, suggesting a synergistic effect that supports cognitive function. Results further show that sports social capital exerts a cumulative effect on cognition, with its influence increasing over time. Unlike general physical activity, sports social capital-formed through social engagement in sports-plays a unique role in sustaining cognitive function. Additionally, it is associated with a reduction in the cognitive risks of smoking and other behaviors, highlighting its potential role as a buffer against health risks. This research extends social capital theory in health contexts and suggests that promoting group sports activities that foster social support networks could serve as an effective intervention. Such policies, particularly among lower-education groups, may help preserve cognitive health within aging populations.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.