Malnutrition in older adults can lead to frailty, illness, and reduced quality of life. Factors like lifestyle, social isolation, financial challenges, and residence impact nutritional health. Oral health issues, such as missing teeth or poorly fitting dentures, also contribute to malnutrition. However, the link between chewing ability and malnutrition is not fully understood.
A Swedish study found that older people who have trouble chewing hard foods are at higher risk of becoming malnourished or losing weight over time. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet tracked 1,596 people aged 60 and above for six years.
The study showed that difficulty chewing is a factor that can increase the risk of malnutrition, though the effect is not very large. It used data from the Kungsholmen Project and found that people with ongoing or new chewing problems were more likely to experience malnutrition or lose more than 10% of their body weight after six years.
Although the impact was minor, researchers stressed the importance of checking oral function when assessing the health of older adults. Focusing on oral health is key to understanding the overall well-being of aging populations.
The study highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to health evaluations, including dietary and oral factors, to support a better quality of life for older individuals.
Journal Reference:
- Duangjai Lexomboon, Abhishek Kumar, Sara Freyland, Weili Xu, Gunilla Sandborgh-Englund. Is poor chewing ability a risk factor for malnutrition? A six-year longitudinal study of older adults in Sweden. The Journal of nutrition, health, and aging. DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2025.100554
Source: Tech Explorist
