Risk evaluation of food suffocation from feature analysis of food capturing and processing in children

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10402
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57070:Developmental dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Yuki 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (70452779)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 林 豊彦 新潟大学, 自然科学系, フェロー (40126446) ; 早崎 治明 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (60238095) ; 堀 一浩 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (70379080)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 摂食 / 捕食 / 発達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Understanding the refinement of self-feeding skills is useful for the assessment of oral functional development in children. To determine normative data on lip closing during food intake in the development of independent spoon-feeding in normal children, we tested the hypothesis that lip-closing pressure and spoon operation differ depending on food type. Lip-closing force and spoon operation varied depending on food type in preschool and early elementary school children compared to adult. Our findings suggest the need to consider the importance of food diversity when assessing the development and maturation of lip function.

Free Research Field

小児歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生涯を通じた口腔機能の獲得や維持・向上の重要性が社会的に認識され，小児期の口腔機能の客観的発達指標が臨床の診断や訓練に求められており，なかでも摂食機能の評価指標は食の安全を考える上で不可欠である．本研究の研究成果として報告された，食品の物性や量の違いが捕食時の口唇閉鎖機能や食具操作へ与える影響についての小児と成人との違いは，摂食機能の発達評価における新しい知見として，小児期における摂食機能の評価指標の確立の一助になると考えられる．