Objective：The current study aims to explore the correlation between Chinese visceral adiposity index（CVAI）and cognitive impairment（CI），and further to analyze the correlation between CVAI and CI under different age levels，providing evidence for accurately evaluating the relationship between CVAI and CI，and seeking for new factors available for intervention associated with CI. Methods：The CHARLS database was used in the current study. The baseline data of 2011 and 2015 were collected，including gender，age，education level，alcohol consumption，smoking history，body mass index，and biochemical indicators. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation of CVAI and CI，according to difterent age stratification. Results：①A total of 12 102 subjects were included in the curreut study，1 295（10.7%）subjects had CI. ② There was a correlation between CVAI and CI in people aged 65 and above（P ＜ 0.05），but no significant correlation between CVAI and CI in people aged below 65（P ＞ 0.05）；③The best cut- off value of CVAI for CI was 161.94. According to the cut-off value，all subjects was divided into high CVAI group（CVAI≥161.94）and low CVAI group（CVAI＜161.94）. ④ Age was positively correlated with CI（OR=2.24，95% CI：1.66-3.03），education level was negatively correlated with CI（OR=0.71，95%CI：0.53-0.94），and high CVAI was correlated with CI in people aged 65 and above（OR= 1.91，95%CI：1.24-2.93）. Conclusion：CVAI，age and education were correlated with CI. High CVAI is a risk factor for CI in people 65 years and older.