title: Dietary, self-reported oral health and socio-demographic predictors of general health status among older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Poor dietary habits and nutritional intake are associated with a range of chronic diseases. Oral health may be directly associated with general health status, as well as related to diet. The aims are to assess dietary, self-reported oral health and socio-demographic predictors of general health status among older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional mailed survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of adults in Adelaide, South Australia aged 60-71 years in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health status was measured using the EuroQol (EQ-5D). Compliance with dietary guidelines was measured using a 16-item index of grocery purchasing. Oral health was measured by self-reported number of teeth, oro-facial pain and sore gums. Socio-demographics included age, sex, birth place and subjective social status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were collected from n=444 persons (response rate = 68.8%). The average EQ-5D score was 0.80 (se=0.01). Unadjusted analyses showed (p<0.05) EQ-5D scores were lower in the bottom tertile of compliance with dietary guidelines, for those reporting oro-facial pain, sore gums and fewer teeth, and for the lower social status group. Multivariate analyses showed (p<0.05) lower compliance with dietary guidelines was associated with poorer general health (beta=-0.10), as was oro-facial pain (beta=-0.11), sore gums (beta=-0.17), and lower social status (beta=-0.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Socio-economic status, oral symptoms and compliance with dietary guidelines were associated with general health status.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia. david.brennan@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000150:complications; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009909:Oral Health; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D013021:South Australia; D014070:Tooth; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications