Associations of health behaviors, food preferences, and obesity patterns with the incidence of mild cognitive impairment in the middle-aged and elderly population: An 18-year cohort study

•G+/A+ and reading or writing were associated with the lower incidence of MCI.•TV or computer usage and fast foods were associated with the higher incident MCI.•The effects of health behaviors were fully observed in males.•The effects of food preferences and obesity patterns were fully observed in females.•Subjects aged 60–69 years were more susceptive to these factors. There were few studies to examine the associations of food preferences and obesity patterns with the incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations of health behaviors, food preferences, and with the incidence of MCI. All participants aged ≥ 55 years were potential eligible. The types of health behaviors and food preferences were recorded using the valid questionnaire. The obesity patterns were defined as follows:G-/A-, G+/A- or G-/A+, and G+/A+. The cognition tests included immediate and delayed recall, counting backward from 20, and serial 7 subtraction. The total cognitive score ranged from 0 to 27. Subjects with a score < 7 were considered as MCI. There were 8236 subjects included in this study. Martial arts, ping pong, and reading or writing were associated with the lower incident MCI (P = 0.039, 0.006, and 0.016, respectively). However, TV or computer usage was associated with the higher incident MCI (P = 0.029; HR: 1.455; and HR 95% CI: 1.040- 2.036). Fast foods, soft/sugared drinks, and salty snack foods increased the incident MCI (P< 0.001, = 0.032, and 0.002, respectively). G+/A- or G-/A+ and G+/A+ were associated with the lower incident MCI (P = 0.018 and < 0.001, respectively). The basic mechanisms of health behaviors, food preferences, and obesity patterns on the risk of MCI were not fully explained. Reading or writing and G+/A+ were associated with the lower incident MCI. However, TV or computer usage and fast foods were associated with the higher incident MCI.