title: Taste detection ability of elderly nursing home residents.
abstract: Due to the rapid rise of aged populations throughout the world, it is essential to elucidate the cause of taste dysfunction, because it may reduce appetite, leading to inadequate dietary intake. We aimed to compare taste detection ability between dependently and independently living geriatric individuals of nearly the same age with oral status. Forty-three elderly individuals considered to be cognitively eligible and residing in nursing homes in Japan were enrolled (n = 43, 82·3 ± 8·5 years) and were compared with an independently living elderly group (n = 949, 79·9 ± 0·8 years), aiming to compare taste detection ability between dependently and independently living elders of nearly the same age. Information regarding comorbidity and medication was obtained as general health status, and oral status including number of present teeth, denture usage and maximal occlusal force was also noted. In the dependently living group, 69·4%, 14·3%, 16·3% and 8·2% of participants could detect sweet, sour, salty and bitter tastes, respectively, which was significantly lower than the independently living group for each taste (97·9%, 70·8%, 89·6% and 43·8% for sweet, sour, salty and bitter tastes, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that residing in nursing homes was associated with reduced sensitivity for four different tastes. The diseases and the situation of dependent elders were more likely the cause of the decreased taste sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uota
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikebe
authors.affiliation: Shitennoji-Yawaragien Welfare Facility for the Disabled, Tondabayashi, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Notomi
authors.affiliation: Slowlife Yao Long-term Care Health Facility, Yao, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.affiliation: Clover-no-Oka Long-term Care Health Facility, Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shirobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kibi
authors.affiliation: Ikurien-Naka Special Elderly Nursing Home, Sugaya, Naka, Ibaragi, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masayasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D003778:Dentures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009909:Oral Health; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: elderly; multiple logistic regression analysis; nursing home; taste sensitivity