[Active life expectancy for elderly Japanese by chewing ability].
OBJECTIVE
Panel interview surveys of nationally representative elderly people aged 65 years or above in Japan were conducted three times at 2-year intervals since 1999 (Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging) to estimate health expectancy for males and females separately according to their chewing ability.


METHODS
Multistate life table methods were applied to estimate health expectancy. Three health states, namely, active, inactive and dead, were defined according to the ability to perform specified daily activities. Living respondents were considered to be in an "inactive state" if they responded "very difficult" or "unable" for performance of at least one ADL or IADL. Otherwise they were considered to be in an "active state". 4,323 sampled persons who responded to the baseline survey were included in the study. Based on estimated transition probabilities over the survey period between active and inactive states, and active and inactive states to death, both population- and status-based multistate life tables were constructed according to chewing ability. Those who could chew relatively hard foods at the baseline survey were classified as Group A and those who could chew only relatively soft foods were classified as Group B.


RESULTS
The population-based multistate life tables indicated that at age 65, total life expectancy was 19.3/23.2 (males/females) years for Group A and 16.7/21.1 years for Group B. Active life expectancy was 16.8/18.6 years and 13.6/16.3 years, and inactive life expectancy was 2.4/4.6 years and 3.1/4.8 years for Groups A and B respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups only in terms of active life expectancy. From status-based multistate life tables, similar patterns were observed for those whose status at the baseline was "active".


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that maintenance or recovery of sufficient chewing ability for elderly people is related to a longer total life expectancy and even more strongly related to a longer active life expectancy.
Nasu
Ikuo
I
Department of Dental Public Health, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo.
Saito
Yasuhiko
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors