Relationship between Chewing Ability and Nutritional Status in Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Keiko Motokawa, Yurie Mikami, Maki Shirobe, Ayako Edahiro, Yuki Ohara, Masanori Iwasaki, Yutaka Watanabe, Hisashi Kawai, Takeshi Kera, Shuichi Obuchi, Yoshinori Fujiwara, Kazushige Ihara and Hirohiko Hirano
Additional contact information
Keiko Motokawa: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Yurie Mikami: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Maki Shirobe: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Ayako Edahiro: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Yuki Ohara: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Masanori Iwasaki: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Yutaka Watanabe: Gerodontology, Department of Oral Health Science, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-8586, Japan
Hisashi Kawai: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Takeshi Kera: Department of Physiotherapy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma 373-0033, Japan
Shuichi Obuchi: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Yoshinori Fujiwara: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Kazushige Ihara: Department of Social Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Aomori 030-8560, Japan
Hirohiko Hirano: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-9

Abstract: Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between objective chewing ability and the nutritional status of Japanese community-dwelling elders. Design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: A total of 509 community-dwelling elders living in the Tokyo metropolitan area participated in a comprehensive survey conducted in October 2013. Measurements: The basic characteristics were sex, age, and body mass index. Undernutrition was examined through serum albumin levels. Chewing ability was examined through color-changeable xylitol gum by evaluating the color changes in chewing gum. Nutritional intake was examined using the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results: In the poor chewing ability group, all nutrient intake levels were significantly low, except for carbohydrates, and intake levels for all food groups were significantly low, except for cereals, confectionery, sugars, seasonings, and spices. Additionally, after adjusting for covariates for sex, age, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology-Index of Competence (TMIG-IC) score, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, body mass index (BMI), stroke, number of functional teeth, energy intake, and protein intake, chewing ability was found to be significantly associated with undernutrition. Conclusion: We concluded that chewing ability was closely associated with nutrient and different food groups’ intake, as well as undernutrition, among Japanese community-dwelling elders. Thus, to ensure comprehensive nutritional management, nutritionists and dentists should collaborate when treating the same patients.

Keywords: nutrient intake; food groups; chewing ability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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