Background: We aimed to identify the association among nutritional status, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and frailty, and to estimate the mediation effect of these conditions between age and frailty in a group of Mexico City nursing home residents.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Fried's phenotype criteria, Full Mini Nutritional Assessment, and General Oral Health Assessment Index was applied.
Results: The participants (n = 286) mean age was 82.4 (± 9.2) years. The prevalence of frailty was 58%, and the prevalence of malnutrition and the risk of malnutrition were 22.7% and 59.5%, respectively. A higher risk of frailty was associated with older age (p = 0.015), sex (women) (p = 0.041), poor nutritional status (p <0.001) and compromised OHRQoL (p <0.001). Approximately 40% of the effect of age on frailty was mediated by nutritional status and OHRQoL (p <0.05).
Conclusion: A strong association between nutritional status and frailty was observed. Additionally, OHRQoL was associated with frailty. The effect of age on frailty was mediated by OHRQoL and nutritional status. Interventions targeted to improve nutritional status and oral health may contribute to preventing or delaying the onset of frailty.
Keywords: Aging; frailty; malnutrition; nursing homes; oral health.