Correlation with subjective oral health status and food preference in elderly people

Abstract

Objectives:The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation with subjective oral health status and food preference in elderly people. Methods: Data were extracted from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey 2010-2012. The survey data included general characteristics of the subjects, food preference, and subjective oral health status. Food preference was analyzed by assigning score to 63 food categories. The subjective oral health status consisted of toothache within a month, self-perception of oral health, chewing difficulty, mastication difficulty, and speaking difficulty. Data were analyzed by frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, χ 2 test, t-test, and ANOVA using SPSS 22.0 program. Results: Elderly men had a tendency to have a liking for all food categories except for fruit. Difficulty in chewing and mastication was shown in those who had older age, lower education, lower monthly income, and national basic livelihood security. Difficulty in speaking was found in those who had older age, lower education, and national basic livelihood security. Self perception of oral health status was closely related to food preference for pulses and potatoes, fish, vegetables and others(p<0.05). Difficulties in chewing and mastication had relation to all food categories excepting cereals, lipids and sugars(p<0.05). Speaking difficulty were significantly different in pulses, potatoes, meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, milk, dairy products, and others(p<0.05). Conclusions: Poor subjective oral health status was closely related to food preference. It is necessary to educate that maintenance of good oral health is to ingest the balanced nutrition in the elderly people.

Evaluation of the nutrient quotient for the elderly (NQ-E) using congregate meal services according to their oral health conditions

“…The elderly with mastication difficulties preferred soft food, prioritizing food that would be easier to masticate over those with good nutritional value [ 32 ]. Those who perceived their oral health as poor had a low preference for all foods except grains, oils, and sugars; those with chewing and chewing problems had a low preference for all foods; and those with speech discomfort had a low preference for all foods except oils and sugars [ 33 ]. The elderly with good oral health preferred vegetables and fruits [ 34 ], and it has been reported that the higher the number of existing natural teeth, the higher the intake of iron, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and protein [ 35 ].…”