Examination of the relationship between comprehensive oral function assessment and nutrition for the purpose of extending healthy longevity

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23207
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: HOSHINO DAICHI 昭和大学, 歯学部, 兼任講師 (40881678)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔機能 / 栄養状態 / 高齢者 / オーラルフレイル / 食品摂取の多様性得点

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We cross-sectionally examined the association between oral frailty and dietary variety score, one of the nutritional assessments. Oral frailty and dietary variety score were evaluated in community-dwelling elderly participants, referring to the criteria of Tanaka et al. The results of statistical analysis indicated that the pre-oral frailty group was approximately 1.6 times more likely to have oral frailty and the oral frailty group was 2.8 times more likely to have significantly lower dietary variety score than those with healthy oral functions. These results suggest that the use of dietary variety score may be useful in understanding the state of oral frailty in old age.

Free Research Field

口腔機能

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

健康長寿の延伸を目指すにあたり、口腔機能を良好に保ち栄養状態を維持することが重要である。本研究ではフレイル対策の１つであるオーラルフレイルに着目して栄養評価の１つとの関連を明らかにすることができた。食品摂取の多様性得点は日常生活でも気軽に使用することができるツールであり、栄養バランスの見直しや口腔機能低下に対する意識を持つきっかけとして有用であるため、本研究結果は学術的・社会的意義が大きいと考えられる。