The state of dentition in relation to nutrition in elderly Europeans in the SENECA Study of 1993.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the state of dentition and related aspects and to study their influence on the dietary intake of nutrients.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

In the second cross-sectional measurement of SENECA's follow-up study, 12 research towns in 10 European countries and one town in Connecticut (USA) participated, involving 1424 elderly men and women born between 1913 and 1918. Dentition-related data were obtained from a general questionnaire; nutritional data were collected using a standardized modified dietary history.

RESULTS

A large variation in the dental state existed among the towns. Women were more often edentulous and had fewer teeth. Self-reported chewing difficulties varied enormously. Most complaints were found in: women, edentulous subjects without dentures and in the towns in Spain, Portugal and Poland. More dentate women reported having visited their dentist. In the edentulous groups, differences between towns were small; for the dentate groups the percentage of dental visits varied from 0 in Coimbra (Portugal) to 96 in Mansfield (Connecticut/USA). For the edentulous subjects without any prosthetic supply, intakes of carbohydrate and vitamin B6 were significantly reduced. Also intakes of vitamin B1, vitamin C, dietary fibre, calcium and iron tended to be lower in this group. Town-dentition interactions existed for most nutrients.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial differences existed between towns in the influence of dentition on dietary intake.