Abstract
The global population aged over 60 will double by 2050. This pilot cross-sectional study aims at evaluating nutritional and oral health status and the prevalence of sarcopenia in older adults living in an Italian residential aged care facility. Thirty-two adults aged ≥65 years were included. Individual sociodemographic data and nutritional and oral health data were collected. For sarcopenia diagnosis, muscle mass, physical performance, muscle strength and anthropometric parameters were recorded. Participants underwent a nutritional screening and a dental examination. Mini Nutritional Assessment and masticatory mixing ability test were performed. The results showed that men recorded a hand strength significantly higher than that of women, 25.5 ± 7.2 Kg vs. 12.8 ± 5.9 Kg (p < 0.01), respectively. Gait speed test showed that only 20.8% of the participants had a speed of more than 0.8 m/s. A strong negative correlation between masticatory performance and the number of missing teeth was detected (r = −0.84, 95% C.I. [−0.92; −0.69], p < 0.01). Overall, a high percentage of institutionalized older adults were diagnosed as being sarcopenic. Poor oral health in older adults is a major general health problem as it may restrict both food selection and nutrient intake, representing a risk factor for sarcopenia, although longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this relationship.
Highlights
Published: 15 December 2021The global population aged over 60 is expected to double in the coming years, implying the need to promote healthy longevity and ageing while avoiding diseases and functional disability [1,2]
The present pilot cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 32 subjects, who were resident in an Italian residential aged care facility
Within the limitations of this report, a high prevalence of institutionalized older adults diagnosed at risk of developing sarcopenia or of being sarcopenic or severely sarcopenic was shown
Summary
The global population aged over 60 is expected to double in the coming years, implying the need to promote healthy longevity and ageing while avoiding diseases and functional disability [1,2]. The increase in life expectancy involves potential opportunities for society and families; on the other, all those opportunities are directly associated with health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the term “healthy ageing” as the capacity of maintaining a functional status that enables well-being in older age [3]. The clinical condition of sarcopenia is one of the most challenging aspects of an ageing population. Sarcopenia is described as a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is related to an increased probability of unfavourable consequences such as falls, fractures, physical disability and mortality [4].
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