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.
Keywords: ageing; mastication; nutritional status; oral health; sarcopenia.