Nagao-Sato Sayaka, Kushida Osamu, Kurita Yasunari, Ozaki Etsuko, Kuriyama Nagato, Kato Michitaka, Akamatsu Rie, Goda Toshinao, Tabara Yasuharu
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma 370-0033, Japan.
Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan.
Nutrients. 2025 Mar 10;17(6):968. doi: 10.3390/nu17060968.
: Low masticatory function has been proposed as a risk factor for sarcopenia. This study investigated its potential association with body composition and physical performance in community-dwelling older adults. : Participants included adults aged ≥65 years (643 men; 797 women) who volunteered for a longitudinal cohort study. Masticatory function was objectively assessed using gummy jelly and subjectively evaluated via a structured questionnaire. The skeletal muscle mass, body mass index, waist circumference, handgrip strength, gait speed, and five-time chair-stand test were assessed. : Objectively measured masticatory function was classified as low (12.6%), moderate (38.0%), or high (49.4%). In men, masticatory function was significantly associated with skeletal muscle mass index (low, moderate, and high: 7.4, 7.7, and 7.7 kg/m; = 0.005), handgrip strength (31.8, 34.2, and 35.5 kg; < 0.001), and gait speed (1.3, 1.4, and 1.4 m/s; = 0.003). In women, low masticatory function was linked to a higher body mass index (22.9, 22.0, and 21.9 kg/m; = 0.028) and waist circumference (82.9, 80.8, and 80.4 cm; = 0.041). Moreover, these significant associations persisted after adjusting for covariates. Discrepancies were observed between objective and subjective measures of masticatory function, with approximately 40% of participants showing low objective masticatory function, perceiving their chewing ability as normal. Subjective masticatory function exhibited no significant associations with anthropometric measures or sarcopenia components. : In men, objectively measured low masticatory function was associated with reduced skeletal muscle mass and poor physical performance; in women, it was linked to higher body mass index.
低咀嚼功能已被认为是肌肉减少症的一个风险因素。本研究调查了其与社区居住的老年人身体成分和身体机能的潜在关联。：参与者包括年龄≥65岁的成年人（643名男性；797名女性），他们自愿参加一项纵向队列研究。使用软糖客观评估咀嚼功能，并通过结构化问卷进行主观评估。评估了骨骼肌质量、体重指数、腰围、握力、步速和五次起坐试验。：客观测量的咀嚼功能分为低（12.6%）、中（38.0%）或高（49.4%）。在男性中，咀嚼功能与骨骼肌质量指数（低、中、高：7.4、7.7和7.7kg/m；P=0.005）握力（31.8、34.2和35.5kg；P<0.001）和步速（1.3、1.4和1.4m/s；P=0.003）显著相关。在女性中，低咀嚼功能与较高的体重指数（22.9、22.0和21.9kg/m；P=0.028）和腰围（82.9、80.8和80.4cm；P=0.041）有关。此外，在调整协变量后，这些显著关联仍然存在。咀嚼功能的客观和主观测量之间存在差异，约40%的参与者客观咀嚼功能低，但认为自己的咀嚼能力正常。主观咀嚼功能与人体测量指标或肌肉减少症成分无显著关联。：在男性中，客观测量的低咀嚼功能与骨骼肌质量减少和身体机能差有关；在女性中，它与较高的体重指数有关。
