The factors relating to dementia in terms of nutritional state and body composition

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K11070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Nogaki Hiroshi 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (10218290)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地域在住高齢者 / 食生活 / 栄養状態 / 身体機能 / 認知機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study sample included 120 elderly aged from 65 to 74 living in Sanyo-Onoda city who visited to undergo an annual medical examination.
The results showed that the male subjects significantly had insufficient total energy and protein intake compared with average values in Japan, while the female subjects significantly took excessive salt as well as snacks, sugar, and oil-rich foods compared with average values in Japan. According to the nutritional state categories, the male malnutrition group had significant lower hand grip power than that of the good nutrition group, while in the female subjects the good nutrition group had lower physical function than malnutrition group. We should take the differences between elderly male and female on diet habit and physical condition into consideration in health promotion initiatives. Although cognitive function had no relation to nutritional state, nearly half of the subjects made a mistake in the questions of identifying similar shapes.

Free Research Field

老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来、特定健診は主にメタボリックシンドロームまたはその予備軍の発見、及び保健指導による改善を目的としているが、その項目に認知機能、身体機能、栄養状態、体組成、社会環境などの測定項目を追加することにより、認知機能障害の早期発見、その関連要因の抽出につながり、適切なケアに結びつけることが可能となる。その結果、認知症発症の予防やケアの有効性の向上が期待できる。本研究により、山陽小野田市の高齢者の注意すべき具体的な食生活習慣、栄養状況、体組成項目が明らかとなり、保健指導・栄養指導の具体的なプログラム作成に寄与するとともに、特定健診における認知機能低下早期発見の可能性を示すことができた。