Survey of Dietary Habits and Chewing Ability in the Independent elderly

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SURVEY OF DIETARY HABITS AND OCCLUSION AMONG SENIOR COLLEGE PARTICIPANTS.The eating habits among elderly people without any difficulty for daily living were surveyed to elucidate the relation between chewing function and physical health condition. Participants from a senior college of the Niigata Prefecture were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire on bodily condition, dietary habits, chewing condition, denture condition and oral function. Responses were obtained from 528 participants (308 males, 217 females; average age: 65.7). 439 reported, subjectively, their health condition was good. On the contrary, 73 people, though small in number, estimated their own health condition as not good. Even among independent active elderly people, a tendency to decrease the intake of food items in number and variety due to poor occlusal condition was shown in the group who estimated themselves unhealthy. The importance of maintaining chewing function was reconfirmed as a factor in the h … More ealthy longevity of the independent older people of the group.SURVEY OF CHEWING ABILITY AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN THE INDEPENDENT ELDERLYThis survey was carried out to elucidate whether oral status and chewing ability might influence the nutritional status of the independent elderly. 109 participants (69 males, 40 females; average age: 65.9) were examined at Niigata University Dental Hospital. After taking a history of major medical problems and present general condition, an oral examination and evaluations of chewing ability and nutritional status were performed. Occlusal support of the posterior teeth was evaluated by the Eichner's classification. Many subjects had four areas of support. Chewing ability was evaluated by masticatory efficiency to chew about 4.3g testing gumi-jelly. Compared with five groups classified by masticatory efficiency, a group of the highest masticatory efficiency tended to show suitable energy intake. This study suggested that intraoral condition and chewing ability influenced the nutritional intake of the elderly. Less