Development of "food rhythm" measurement / evaluation system for extending healthy life expectancy

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19907
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Health science and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Hayashi Mikako 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 教授 (40271027)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山田 朋美 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 助教 (70452448)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 食 / 健康寿命 / リズム / 歯導音 / 骨導

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a device that can continuously record and measure food-related data in daily life by focusing on the tooth conduction sound. The tooth conduction sound is defined as the bone conduction vibration sound transmitted through the tooth.
We have established a new measurement/recording method by picking up the sound of tooth conduction when drilling teeth during dental treatment and the vibration transmitted through the teeth when eating.　It was reported that a lip movement　analysis system was prototyped with tooth conduction sound, the characteristics of the foods being eaten could be grasped, and the masticatory function could be evaluated.

Free Research Field

歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、寝たきり高齢者をへらし自立高齢者を増進させる健康寿命の延伸をめざすものであり、歯導音に着目し気導音と組合せて計測するシステムを試作し、咀嚼のリズムを把握できることを示した。とりわけ、歯導音により食材の性質の変化を連続的に客観的な値として可視化できたことは学術的意義があるものであり、かつ健康寿命の延伸につながる幼年期からの高齢者のあらゆる年代での食習慣の質の向上に貢献できることが期待でき、社会的意義がある。