[The relationship of chewing ability to nutrient and food intakes in the community elderly]

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship of chewing ability to nutrient and food intakes in the community elderly. Subjects consisted of 145 elderly residents (56 males, 89 females) ranging in age from 65 to 79 years, living at home in a village of Okinawa Prefecture. Chewing ability was divided into two categories: being able to chew ordinary foods was defined as "good", and being able to chew only soft foods as "bad". To determine quantitative food intakes 24-hour dietary records were utilized which were confirmed by nutritionists during interviews. Good chewing ability was found in 82.1% for males and 83.1% for females with no statistically significant difference concerning age or sex. Teeth status was significantly related to chewing ability. For both males and females, protein intake was lower in the group with bad chewing ability than in the good group. Only in males intakes of total energy, fats, Ca, and Fe were lower in the group with bad chewing ability. Concerning food items, intakes of dark green and yellow vegetables and fat in males, and intake of rice in females, were lower in the group with bad chewing ability.