Correlation with subjective oral health status and food preference in elderly people

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation with subjective oral health status and food preference in elderly people. Methods: Data were extracted from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey 2010-2012. The survey data included general characteristics of the subjects, food preference, and subjective oral health status. Food preference was analyzed by assigning score to 63 food categories. The subjective oral health status consisted of toothache within a month, self-perception of oral health, chewing difficulty, mastication difficulty, and speaking difficulty. Data were analyzed by frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, t-test, and ANOVA using SPSS 22.0 program. Results: Elderly men had a tendency to have a liking for all food categories except for fruit. Difficulty in chewing and mastication was shown in those who had older age, lower education, lower monthly income, and national basic livelihood security. Difficulty in speaking was found in those who had older age, lower education, and national basic livelihood security. Self perception of oral health status was closely related to food preference for pulses and potatoes, fish, vegetables and others(p<0.05). Difficulties in chewing and mastication had relation to all food categories excepting cereals, lipids and sugars(p<0.05). Speaking difficulty were significantly different in pulses, potatoes, meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, milk, dairy products, and others(p<0.05). Conclusions: Poor subjective oral health status was closely related to food preference. It is necessary to educate that maintenance of good oral health is to ingest the balanced nutrition in the elderly people.

노인의 식품선호도와 주관적 구강건강상태의 관련성