Objective:To investigate the association between diet, physical activity and cognitive impairment among elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.Methods:This study investigated patients aged 60 years and above with type 2 diabetes in the Department of Endocrinology at Penglai People's Hospital from October 2021 to May 2022.Information on patients' demographics, lifestyle, disease history, daily diet, physical activities, and social network was collected using questionnaires.The Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)was utilized to evaluate the cognitive status of the participants.A logistic regression model was conducted to identify the associations between diet, physical activity, and cognitive impairment.Results:A total of 1 355 patients aged 60 years and above with type 2 diabetes were included in this study.During the assessment, 565(41.7%)patients were identified as having cognitive impairment.After adjusting for other factors, it was found that alcohol consumption was associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment( OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.04-2.04, P=0.03).Furthermore, patients with diabetes who consumed fruits more than once a day had a higher risk of cognitive impairment( OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.20-1.93, P<0.001).On the other hand, the consumption of vegetables was found to be negatively associated with the risk of cognitive impairment( OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.68, P=0.001).Additionally, engaging in physical activities and having a strong social network were found to significantly reduce the risk of cognitive impairment( OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.39-0.64, P<0.001; OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.43-0.71, P<0.001)respectively. Conclusions:Our findings indicate a significant association between diet, physical activity, and cognitive function in elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes.It is crucial to identify and intervene on risk factors to delay and prevent cognitive impairment.Furthermore, these interventions may also aid diabetes patients in effectively managing their cognition.