title: Association of Psychosocial Conditions, Oral Health, and Dietary Variety with Intellectual Activity in Older Community-Dwelling Japanese Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the factors related to intellectual activity in community-dwelling elderly persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered questionnaires mailed to all people aged ≥65 years in a dormitory suburb in Japan (n = 15,210). The response rate was 72.2%. Analytical subjects (n = 8,910) were those who lived independently and completely answered questions about independent and dependent variables and covariates. Independent variables included psychosocial conditions (i.e., social activities, hobbies, and a sense that life is worth living (ikigai)), oral health (i.e., dental health behaviors and oral function evaluated by chewing difficulties, swallowing difficulties, and oral dryness), and dietary variety measured using the dietary variety score (DVS). A dependent variable was intellectual activity measured using the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence. Covariates included age, gender, family structure, pensions, body mass index, alcohol, smoking, medical history, self-rated health, medications, cognitive function, depression, and falling. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for poor intellectual activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poor intellectual activity was reported by 28.9% of the study population. After adjustment for covariates and independent variables, poor intellectual activity was significantly associated with nonparticipation in social activities (OR = 1.90, 95%CI = 1.61-2.24), having neither hobbies nor ikigai (3.13, 2.55-3.84), having neither regular dental visits nor daily brushing (1.70, 1.35-2.14), the poorest oral function (1.61, 1.31-1.98), and the lowest DVS quartile (1.96, 1.70-2.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that psychosocial conditions, oral health, and dietary variety are independently associated with intellectual activity in elderly persons. The factors identified in this study may be used in community health programs for maintaining the intellectual activity ability of the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Nara Prefectural Health Research Center, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Nara Prefectural Health Research Center, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan; Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurumatani
authors.affiliation: Nara Prefectural Health Research Center, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosoi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009909:Oral Health; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires