title: Relationship between chewing ability and sarcopenia in Japanese community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been reported that if nutrient intake is unbalanced, muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance declines, and therefore it is important to maintain chewing ability to keep a balanced nutrient intake. However, the relationship between chewing ability and sarcopenia has not been previously reported. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between chewing ability and sarcopenia in addition to known sarcopenia-related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 761 participants (average age 73.0 ± 5.1 years), who lived in the Itabashi city of Tokyo. Our research was designed to examine the relationship between chewing ability and sarcopenia. We carried out regression analysis to analyze the relationship with sarcopenia-related factors with consideration of the age of the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 761 participants were divided into two groups in terms of the stage of sarcopenia according to whether there was a deterioration of muscle strength or physical performance. Furthermore, we carried out logistic regression analyses on the value as a dependent variable, including known sarcopenia-related factors. There were significant correlations of sarcopenia with age (odds ratio 2.37, 95% confidence interval 1.52-3.70), body mass index (odds ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.69-0.81) and chewing ability (odds ratio 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.21-3.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows that chewing ability is related to sarcopenia, which is equal to the relationship with the known factor of age by odds ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Promoting Independence of the Elderly, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.affiliation: Oral Diseases Research, Department of Advanced Medicine, Division of Oral and Dental Surgery, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Promoting Independence of the Elderly, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hunkyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katakura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009909:Oral Health; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014041:Tokyo; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: chewing ability; color-changeable gum; community; elderly; sarcopenia