Masticatory ability in 80-year-old subjects and its relation to intake of energy, nutrients and food items

The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between masticatory ability (self-assessed masticatory ability and bite force) and intake of energy, nutrients and food items in a population sample of elderly subjects.

From a population sample of 80-year-old people, 160 individuals (74 men and 86 women) took part in an odontological study.

A dental examination including bite force recording, a questionnaire focusing on self-assessed masticatory ability, and a dietary interview.

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Göteborg University, Sweden.

The dental status among the participants varied much (from edentulous in both jaws--22%--to more than 20 natural teeth--30%). The mean maximum bite force was higher in men (165 N) than in women (105 N). Bite force was significantly correlated to the Eichner index and to the number of teeth. One third of the subjects reported no masticatory problem, whereas 18% identified > or = 3 such problems. The intake of energy and nutrients varied much but the means were well above recommended values. The correlations between dental status and bite force on one side and dietary intake on the other side were in general weak and most often statistically non-significant. Impaired general health and reduced dentition were both associated with more masticatory problems.

The examined sample of 80-year-old subjects had a great variation in dental status, bite force and self-assessed masticatory ability, but these factors had only a minor influence on dietary selection and intake, which on average were well above recommended values.