To examine the associations of vegetable and fruit intake frequency, its patterns, and cognition among older Chinese adults.

Cross-sectional data obtained from the Anhui Province Healthy Longevity Survey.

Urban and rural communities.

A total of 5410 older adults (aged 60 or older) were included from selected communities.

Data on the number of days in a typical week that vegetables and fruits were consumed were collected, and the four intake patterns were defined (V+/F+: daily intake of both vegetables and fruit; V+/F− or V−/F+: daily intake of vegetables or fruit; and V−/F−: no daily intake of either vegetables or fruit). Cognitive function was measured using the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was defined according to education-specific criteria.

Nondaily vegetable intake was associated with lower MMSE scores (β = −0.763, 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.463, −0.064) among males and a higher likelihood of having MCI (OR: 1.409, 95% CI: 1.037, 1.915) among females. Less frequent intake of fruit was associated with lower MMSE scores and a higher prevalence of MCI among both males and females (p for trends < 0.001 for both sexes). Compared with the V+/F+ group, male participants who were classified into the V+/F− and V−/F− groups had lower MMSE scores (V+/F−: β = −0.612, 95% CI: −1.094, −0.131; V−/F−: β = −1.273, 95% CI: −2.090, −0.455). Females classified in the V+/F− and V−/F− patterns had lower MMSE scores (V+/F−: β = −0.862, 95% CI: −1.320, −0.404; V−/F−: β = −1.293, 95% CI: −2.079, −0.507) and elevated risks of MCI (V+/F−: OR: 1.762, 95% CI: 1.386, 2.242; V−/F−: OR: 2.180, 95% CI: 1.505, 3.156).

Lower vegetable or fruit intake was associated with poorer cognitive performance among males and females, and the risk was even higher among those with a low intake of both vegetables and fruits. Healthy eating habits, including daily vegetable and fruit intake, are essential for cognition maintenance in both males and females.