OBJECTIVES:To investigate the association between the frequency of adding salt to foods and incident osteoporosis and assess effect modification by genetic susceptibility. DESIGN:Prospective cohort study. SETTING:UK Biobank, United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS:491,428 participants free of osteoporosis at baseline. MEASUREMENTS:Frequency of adding salt to foods (excluding salt used in cooking) was assessed by questionnaire and categorized as never/rarely, sometimes, usually, or always. Multivariable Cox models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident osteoporosis and secondary cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS:During a median follow-up of 14.7 years, 15,953 osteoporosis cases were documented. Compared with the never/rarely group, fully adjusted HRs were 1.09 (95% CI 1.04-1.15) for usually and 1.32 (95% CI 1.24-1.41) for always (P for trend <0.001). The association was stronger in men, White participants, and those with higher BMI. In joint analyses, participants with high genetic risk who always added salt had the highest risk (HR 2.68, 95% CI 2.41-2.98). In the same cohort, always adding salt was also associated with higher cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.14-1.23) and cardiovascular events (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.17-1.26). CONCLUSION:A higher frequency of adding salt to foods was associated with a higher risk of incident osteoporosis. Together with the cardiovascular associations observed in this cohort, these findings suggest that adding salt to foods may be a modifiable behavior relevant to multiple age-related diseases.
BACKGROUND:Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a common condition associated with dementia, social isolation, and reduced quality of life. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (N-3 PUFAs), mainly derived from seafood, have been hypothesized to protect against ARHL through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, evidence remains inconsistent. This cross-sectional study examined the association of seafood and dietary fatty acid intakes with ARHL in a Japanese population with high seafood consumption. METHODS:A total of 13,908 adults aged 50-79 years from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Cohort Study were included. Hearing thresholds were measured by pure-tone audiometry at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Seafood, N-3 PUFA, and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intakes were categorized into quartiles. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate adjusted mean differences in hearing thresholds. RESULTS:In men, higher SFA intake was significantly associated with lower hearing thresholds at 1,000 Hz (Q4 vs. Q1: β = -2.23 dB HL, 95% CI: -3.437 to -1.023) and for pure-tone average (β = -1.704 dB HL; 95% CI, -2.872 to -0.536). Seafood and N-3 PUFA intakes were not significantly associated with hearing thresholds. In women, no significant associations were observed. CONCLUSION:In this population with high seafood consumption, seafood and N-3 PUFA intakes were not associated with hearing thresholds. Low SFA intake may be associated with higher hearing thresholds in Japanese men, suggesting that the relationship between dietary fatty acids and ARHL may be complex and may differ by sex.
BACKGROUND:Frailty is a systemic vulnerability syndrome linked to adverse health outcomes, yet its role in shaping the dynamic trajectory from health through incident disease to multimorbidity remains poorly understood. METHODS:Among 276,696 disease-free UK Biobank participants (mean age 55.3 years; 53.5% female; median follow-up of over 13 years), we evaluated baseline frailty phenotype (robust, pre-frail, frail) as a predictor of 43 chronic conditions using Cox models and restricted mean survival time (RMST) analysis. A four-state Markov multistate model mapped transitions across healthy, incident disease, multimorbidity, and death. Multimorbidity clustering was performed via multiple correspondence analysis and K-means. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) quantified the frailty-attributable disease burden. RESULTS:Frailty was significantly associated with 42 of 43 conditions (97.7%). The frail group lost 2.72 years (95% CI, 2.64-2.81) of multimorbidity-free survival over 12 years. In multistate models, frailty was strongly associated with higher hazards of transition from healthy to incident disease (HR 1.77; 95% CI, 1.72-1.83) and from incident disease to multimorbidity (HR 1.73; 95% CI, 1.68-1.79), but showed attenuated associations with post-disease mortality. Four stable multimorbidity phenotypes were identified. PAF analysis indicated that eliminating pre-frailty and frailty could theoretically prevent 9.85% of incident disease events and 9.40% of multimorbidity progression, with pre-frailty contributing the majority of the attributable burden (7.83%). CONCLUSIONS:Baseline frailty was strongly associated with broad-spectrum chronic disease onset and accelerated multimorbidity accumulation. Systematic screening and early intervention targeting pre-frailty, particularly in middle-aged populations, holds substantial promise for delaying the multimorbidity trajectory.
BACKGROUND:The dynamic patterns of healthy ageing may be an important risk factor for chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, evidence remains limited. OBJECTIVE:To identify associations between healthy ageing trajectories and incident CVD risk. METHODS:This study was based on three large longitudinal ageing cohorts: the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Participants aged ≥50 years at baseline and free of CVD during the trajectory period were included. The ATHLOS healthy ageing score was derived using an item response theory model based on 41 indicators of intrinsic capacity and functional ability assessed through questionnaires and performance tests. Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to identify long-term patterns of the healthy ageing. Incident CVD was ascertained from self-reported physician diagnoses of heart disease or stroke. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to examine associations between trajectory groups and incident CVD risk, with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS:Participants included 10,847 from SHARE (58.4% women; median age, 59.0 years), 5,611 from ELSA (55.7% women; median age, 57.0 years), and 7,238 from CHARLS (49.9% women; median age, 59.0 years), with median follow-up durations of 8, 7, and 5 years, respectively. Three declining healthy ageing trajectories (low, middle, and high) were identified in each cohort. Compared with the low trajectory group, participants in the middle trajectory group were associated with lower risks of CVD (SHARE, HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.77-1.02; ELSA, HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53-0.82; CHARLS, HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.58-0.76), whereas the high trajectory group was associated with further reductions in CVD risk (SHARE, HR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.52-0.71; ELSA, HR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.28-0.46; CHARLS, HR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.33-0.45). No consistent significant modifying effects of socioeconomic status (SES) or healthy lifestyle score (HLS) were observed. CONCLUSION:Higher healthy ageing trajectories were significantly associated with lower risks of incident CVD, and this association was generally consistent across populations with different SES and HLS levels.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:While elevated blood pressure is a major cardiovascular risk factor, a comprehensive evaluation of not only blood pressure but also vascular function is essential to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the effectiveness of interventions. Cocoa flavanols may lower blood pressure by improving endothelial function, however evidence regarding vascular indices is limited, and findings remain inconsistent and not the latest. We conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the effects of cocoa flavanol intake on blood pressure and vascular function. METHODS:This review was registered in UMIN-CTR (UMIN000059995), and we searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Ichushi-Web, JDreamIII, ICTRP and UMIN-CTR for eligible randomized controlled trials up to December 8, 2025. Primary outcomes were systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP); secondary outcomes were flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and ankle-brachial index (ABI). Mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using a modified version of the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2), and certainty of evidence was graded. RESULTS:Twenty-five studies (n = 1,167) included hypertensive and normotensive participants; daily cocoa flavanol doses ranged from 10.6 to 1,680 mg. Both SBP and DBP decreased significantly following cocoa flavanol intake (SBP: MD -2.734 mmHg, 95% CI [-3.446, -2.023]; DBP: MD -1.848 mmHg, 95% CI [-2.725, -0.971]). Significant improvements were also observed for FMD (MD 1.314%, 95% CI [1.043, 1.585]) and PWV (MD -0.200 m/s, 95% CI [-0.393, -0.007]), whereas ABI showed no significant change, with limited evidence from only two studies. Subgroup analyses were consistent for SBP/DBP in both hypertensive and normotensive participants. Dose-response analyses revealed a significant inverse association between SBP or DBP and flavanol intake, but did not identify clear dose thresholds within the examined intake range. Certainty was moderate for SBP; other outcomes were limited. CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that cocoa flavanol intake of 10.6-1,680 mg/day may modestly reduce blood pressure and may improve selected vascular function indices, although certainty for vascular outcomes remains limited.
BACKGROUND:Fiber and anthocyanins in blueberries have potential to modify the gut microbiome and metabolites that are relevant to depression in older adults. OBJECTIVE:Our objective was to preliminarily determine the effect of blueberry consumption on the gut microbiome, metabolites, and depressive symptoms. DESIGN:Sedentary, older adults (≥65y) with mild depressive symptoms were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm, placebo-controlled pilot study. Participants consumed 48 g/day of blueberry powder (∼2 cups of fresh berries) or placebo for 3 months. Metagenomic sequencing measured the abundance of fecal bacterial species and genes, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry evaluated gut-derived fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and validated questionnaires evaluated depressive symptoms before and after the intervention. PARTICIPANTS:Eighteen participants who were predominantly female and white completed the intervention (Placebo Group, n = 8, mean age: 75 ± 6; Blueberry Group, n = 10, mean age: 71 ± 4). RESULTS:Measures of species abundance, MetaCyc pathways, and metabolites did not change. There were statistically significant in the gene abundance of several Enzyme Commissions (EC) of the gut microbiome within the Blueberry Group-including EC 3.6.3.31 Polyamine Transporting ATPase, which is involved in the production of the neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). CONCLUSION:While there were no statistically significant differences in changes in depressive symptoms between groups, the magnitude of reduction in depressive symptom severity appeared greater, with smaller variability in the Blueberry Group, which was paired with minor changes in the gut microbial ECs. Our data are preliminary and warrant additional studies to investigate the link between blueberries, the gut-microbiome, and mood in older adults.
OBJECTIVES:Population aging is accompanied by increasing heterogeneity in health trajectories and mortality risk. We aimed to identify and compare independent predictors of 3-year and 5-year all-cause mortality in Taiwanese adults aged ≥50 years, integrating intrinsic capacity (IC), functional status, laboratory biomarkers, and genetic factors within a unified multidomain framework. METHODS:This study used data from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS, n = 772), a population-based cohort embedded within the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging. Assessments covered five IC domains, functional status, 13 comorbidities, a comprehensive biomarker panel (inflammatory, metabolic, neuroendocrine, hematologic, nutritional), and genetic markers (ApoE ε4, 5-HTTLPR). Mortality was ascertained through national death registry linkage. Predictors were identified by stepwise selection and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS:The mean age of participants was 65.3 years (SD 9.3), and 55.7% were men. Distinct predictor profiles emerged for near-term (3-year) and long-term (5-year) mortality. Near-term mortality was dominated by markers of acute vulnerability: low grip strength (HR 4.98, 95% CI 1.88-13.20), depressive symptoms (HR 3.42, 95% CI 1.34-8.71), and proinflammatory biomarkers including interleukin-6 and neutrophil percentage while serum albumin was protective (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.42). Long-term mortality reflected a broader accumulation of multisystem burden: low grip strength remained predictive (HR 2.57, 95% CI 1.43-4.62), but was joined by metabolic and renal markers (HbA1c and creatinine), and immune aging indices (monocyte and lymphocyte percentages), whereas higher Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scores were protective (HR 0.78 per unit increase, 95% CI 0.65-0.94). CONCLUSION:Mortality risk in aging adults is multidimensional and time-dependent. Near-term mortality was driven by acute physiologic vulnerability, such as nutritional depletion, muscular reserve loss, and active inflammation, whereas long-term mortality reflected cumulative metabolic, renal, and immune-aging burden. These findings supported time-horizon-specific, multidomain risk stratification in aging populations.
BACKGROUND:Resistance exercise and nutritional supplementation improve muscle health in older adults, but the metabolic significance of fasting plasma amino acid profiles remains unclear. This study examined changes in fasting plasma amino acid composition over a 12-week intervention period in which community-dwelling older adults underwent resistance exercise with or without protein plus micronutrient supplementation. METHODS:Participants were assigned to exercise alone (Ex) or exercise plus protein and micronutrient supplementation (ExPM). Both groups completed the same supervised 12-week resistance exercise program, while the ExPM group additionally consumed protein- and micronutrient-fortified beverages daily. Fasting plasma amino acids were measured before and after intervention using LC-MS. Analyses were conducted primarily in the per-protocol set (n = 78; ExPM, n = 38; Ex, n = 40) using linear mixed-effects models adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS:Total, essential, and non-essential amino acid concentrations generally decreased from baseline to post-intervention in both groups. Leucine and phenylalanine showed significant group-by-time interactions, with greater decreases in the Ex group than in the ExPM group. The global arginine bioavailability ratio (GABR; Arg/[Orn + Cit]) increased significantly in both groups, with larger observed increases among participants with lower baseline values. In contrast, glutamine-related ratios (e.g., Gln/TAA and Gln/[Glu + BCAA + Asp + Asn]) increased in the Ex group but remained largely unchanged in the ExPM group. CONCLUSIONS:Fasting plasma amino acid profiling revealed two temporal patterns during the 12-week intervention period: an increase in GABR observed under fasting conditions in both groups and nutrition-sensitive differences in glutamine-related ratios. These findings suggest that fasting plasma amino acid profiles may provide complementary metabolic insight into exercise-nutrition interventions in older adults.
Yogurt is an ancient fermented milk product obtained through the action of specific lactic acid bacteria. It gained widespread modern popularity in the early 1900s when it was proposed as the secret to extending lifespan. In the 1950s, however, dairy fats became highly controversial due to its high saturated fat content, which formed the basis of the “diet-heart hypothesis.” In recent decades, there has been a global resurgence of scientific and public interest in yogurt due to growing awareness of its distinct health benefits which are largely ascribed to its provision of probiotics and bioactive compounds. As such, yogurt products have been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach to modulate the production of gut microbiota-derived metabolites implicated in the development and progression of aging-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, numerous questions remain regarding its therapeutic potential and underlying biological mechanisms. In this review, we examine current evidence within historical and cultural contexts to help refine research hypotheses and inform public health strategies to support healthy aging, with a particular focus on cardiometabolic health.
BACKGROUND:Population aging requires multidimensional strategies to preserve physical function and prevent sarcopenia. The I-COUNT pilot study evaluated the effect of a multidomain intervention in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) residents, hypothesizing improvements in physical performance, muscle strength, and sarcopenia compared to usual care. METHODS:Residents aged ≥70 years from two Italian LTCFs were screened, and 90 participants were enrolled in a 6-month pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial and allocated to a multidomain intervention (physical training, cognitive stimulation, Mediterranean diet enriched with functional foods, and vaccination promotion) or usual care. Physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery, SPPB), handgrip strength, body composition, and sarcopenia according to European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) criteria were assessed at baseline and after 6 months. Changes over time were analyzed using mixed-effects models adjusted for age, sex, and study center. RESULTS:Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. At 6 months, participants receiving the intervention showed significant improvements in physical performance (SPPB: +1.6 points vs. + 0.3 in controls; between-group difference: +1.8 points, p = 0.001), and muscle strength (handgrip: +3.2 kg vs. -0.1 kg in controls; between-group difference: +3.8 kg, p = 0.026). No significant between-group differences were found for the 6-minute walk test or anthropometric measures. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) tended to be preserved in the intervention group while declining in controls (between-group difference approaching +0.9 kg, p = 0.057). Sarcopenia prevalence decreased in the intervention group (37.1% to 15.4%) and remained stable in controls (28.4% to 29.9%), with a borderline group-by-time interaction (p = 0.109). CONCLUSIONS:A multidomain intervention is safe, feasible, and potentially effective for improving physical performance and preventing the progression of sarcopenia in LTCF residents. Given the pilot nature of this study, these findings warrant confirmation through larger randomized controlled trials. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER:NCT06820710.
BACKGROUND:Habitual diet and the gut microbiota each influence frailty in older adults, but whether they contribute jointly and whether the fiber-frailty association is statistically mediated by gut microbial composition remain poorly characterized in Asian populations. OBJECTIVE:To quantify the joint contribution of dietary patterns and gut microbial clusters to frailty and to test whether a butyrate-producer-rich microbial axis statistically mediates the cross-sectional fiber-frailty association in older Japanese adults. METHODS:In 785 community-dwelling participants aged ≥65 years from Kyotango, a Japanese longevity area, BDHQ-derived intakes (27 food groups) and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of fecal samples (47 CLR-Z genus-level taxa) were each summarized by Varimax-rotated PCA and k-means clustering, yielding four dietary patterns and four microbial clusters. A 32-item deficit-accumulation frailty index (FI; frail = FI ≥ 0.21) was the outcome. Regression models adjusted for age, sex and energy intake; a pre-specified mediation model tested whether Microbe PC2 - a butyrate-producer-rich axis dominated by Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter and Eubacterium eligens - statistically mediated the fiber-FI association; indirect effects used 5,000-bootstrap percentile 95% CIs. RESULTS:Frail prevalence was 15.2% overall but varied nine-fold across the 16 diet × microbiota cells, from 4.0% (Pattern 1 [Vegetable, soy and dairy] × Ruminococcus-Faecalibacterium cluster) to 36.4% (Pattern 3 [Seafood and washoku] × Lachnoclostridium-Ruminococcus gnavus cluster). Total fiber intake was inversely associated with FI (β = -0.142, p < 0.0001), and Microbe PC2 statistically mediated this cross-sectional association (indirect β = -0.016, 95% CI -0.031 to -0.005; Sobel p = 0.009; proportion mediated 11.4%). CONCLUSIONS:Dietary patterns and gut microbial clusters jointly stratify frailty in older Japanese adults, with a small but consistent statistical mediation of the fiber-frailty association via a butyrate-producer-rich microbial axis. Combined dietary-microbial profiling may refine frailty risk assessment.
Objectives: To examine the feasibility and effects of consuming an additional 10 g/day of prebiotic fibre blend in a bread roll on cognitive, mood, gastrointestinal outcomes, and peripheral biomarkers in older adults without dementia and with low habitual dietary fibre intake. Design: A single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel groups design (Registration at clinicaltrials.gov; NCT06796712). Setting and participants: Fifty-three community-dwelling adults aged 60–80 years without dementia and with low habitual dietary fibre intake. Intervention: Participants were assigned to either a treatment (fibre-enriched white bread roll) group (n = 28) or a placebo (matched white bread roll) group (n = 25) and consumed their assigned products for 12 weeks. Measurements: Cognitive, mood, gastrointestinal outcomes, as well as C-reactive protein, lipids, and glucose levels were assessed at the baseline and after 12-weeks. Results: Placebo consumption for 12 weeks was associated with improvements in memory compared with treatment. However, the treatment group showed a decrease in hostility after 12 weeks, whereas the placebo group showed an increase. The placebo group also demonstrated an increase in HDL cholesterol, while the treatment group showed a decrease. No significant differences were observed for the other outcomes. Conclusion: Fibre-enriched bread may have selective effects on aspects of mood (e.g., hostility) in ageing populations, although most mood, cognitive, and biological outcomes were unchanged. The observed improvement on mood occurred independently of inflammatory or cardiovascular changes, suggesting potential involvement of the gut–brain axis and the need for additional mechanistic endpoints to clarify the underlying mechanistic pathways. Cognitive and inflammatory changes may require longer interventions, different dosing or populations, highlighting the need for further investigation in larger and more diverse samples.
OBJECTIVES:A low-energy hip fracture is a clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis. Thus, patients with both hip fracture and sarcopenia may be classified as having osteosarcopenia, which increases the risk of death. Assessing sarcopenia in bedridden patients, often with impaired cognition, is challenging. This study evaluated whether electrical bioimpedance (BIA) and quadriceps ultrasound are associated with 30-day mortality after hip fracture. METHODS:Prospective cohort of people older than 60 years with proximal femur fractures due to low-impact trauma and hospitalized in a university hospital in Brazil. Body composition was assessed by BIA, including phase angle (PhA). Quadriceps femoris muscle thickness (MT) was measured by ultrasonography and adjusted for knee height squared (Kh2). The combination of PhA and MT was assessed as a parameter indicative of muscle mass and quality. Statistical analysis included receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and adjusted Cox regression. RESULTS:A total of 133 patients were included (79% female), of whom 47% had impaired cognition; 30-day mortality was 17 (12%). Lower PhA and reduced quadriceps MT were each associated with higher 30-day mortality, even after adjustment for confounders. The composite index of rectus femoris muscle thickness (RFMT/Kh2) and PhA resulted in an AUC of 0.806 (95%CI:0.679 to 0.933), with a higher discriminatory ability for mortality than single parameters: PhA: 0.742 (95%CI: 0.602 to 0.882); RFMT: 0.751 (95%CI: 0.625 to 0.876) CONCLUSION: PhA and quadriceps MT are independent predictors of 30-day mortality in older adults with hip fractures. For hospitalized, bedridden patients who cannot perform volitional strength tests, the combination of MT and PhA may complement osteosarcopenia assessment, thereby improving the prediction of poor outcomes.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of exercise snacks on cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and blood lipids among adults of different age groups. METHODS:PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched from inception to April 15, 2026. Randomized controlled trials evaluating exercise snacks in adults were included. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment. Subgroup analyses, meta-regression, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias assessments were conducted. RESULTS:Twenty-one studies involving 921 participants were included. Exercise snacks significantly improved maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; g = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.68-1.39; moderate-certainty evidence) and peak power output (PPO; g = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.25-1.10; moderate-certainty evidence), whereas body fat percentage showed an overall increase (g = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.01-1.02; low-certainty evidence). No statistically significant effects were observed for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglycerides. VO2max improved in studies with mean participant ages <25 and 25-50 years, but not >50 years, whereas PPO improved across all three age strata. Further analyses suggested that a greater number of exercise bouts per day, an intervention frequency of 4-5 days per week, and an intervention duration of 7-9 weeks may be associated with greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness. CONCLUSION:Exercise snacks may improve cardiorespiratory fitness in adults, although effects may vary by age and intervention characteristics. Evidence for body composition and blood lipids remains inconsistent, and the age-based findings require confirmation using individual participant data.
OBJECTIVE:Investigate the relationship between oral health problems and malnutrition among Norwegian older adults. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:We used data from 1571 participants in HUNT4 70+, a sub-study on participants ≥70 years of age within the fourth Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4). MEASUREMENTS:The Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping (ROAG-J) was used to evaluate individual oral health items and to compute a total score and an ordinal variable for problem severities. The number of teeth and denture use were also included. Malnutrition was determined using body mass index, self-reported involuntary weight loss, and food intake. Poisson regression with robust error variance was used to estimate the association between oral health problems and the prevalence of malnutrition presented as prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS:The median age was 76.9 years, with 57.6% being women. A total of 57.5% of participants had oral health problems, and 17.8% had malnutrition. An increase in ROAG-J total score (PR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03) and severe oral health problems (PR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03-1.15) were associated with a higher prevalence of malnutrition. For individual ROAG-J items, problems with voice, lips, and dentures were associated with a higher prevalence of malnutrition. CONCLUSION:Both the number and severity of oral health problems were associated with the prevalence of malnutrition. Our findings suggest that efforts should be made to prevent and address both oral health problems and malnutrition among Norwegian older adults.
