Establishing Evidence for Extending Healthy Life Expectancy by Maintaining Oral Function: A 12-Year Cohort Study of 2600 Old People

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H03130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57050:Prosthodontics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Ikebe Kazunori 大阪大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 教授 (70273696)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 尾形 宗士郎 国立研究開発法人国立循環器病研究センター, 研究所, 室長 (00805012) ; 八田 昂大 大阪大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 招へい教員 (60845949) ; 福武 元良 大阪大学, 歯学部附属病院, 医員 (10883259)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔機能 / 高齢者 / 大規模コホート

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to investigate the association between oral function and the extension of healthy life expectancy using up to 12 years of longitudinal data obtained from a large cohort of community-dwelling older adults. The multilevel analysis revealed the following findings: (1) The baseline state of posterior occlusal support and its decline influenced the deterioration of masticatory performance six years later, (2) High masticatory performance suppressed the onset of psychological frailty even after adjusting for background factors, and (3) The number of teeth was significantly associated with the intake of meat and green and yellow vegetables, and there was a longitudinal association between these factors and cognitive function.

Free Research Field

歯学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究結果より，歯数や咀嚼能率といった口腔機能の維持は，高齢者の健康寿命の延伸に寄与することが示唆された．信頼性の高い客観的な機能検査に基づく大規模な長期コホート研究から得られたこれらの知見は，口腔機能が心身の健康に及ぼす影響について，質の高いエビデンスを提供するものである。