Dysphagia and dietary intake of Japanese adults: the Shizuoka area in a Japanese multi-institutional collaborative cohort study

Suma, Shino

Dysphagia and dietary intake of Japanese adults: the Shizuoka area in a Japanese multi-institutional collaborative cohort study

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)

Mariko Naito, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Kenji Wakai, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Sayo Kawai, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Hiroko Nakagawa, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Takashi Tamura, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Shino Suma , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Yuka Sugimoto, MS , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Nana Fukuda, MS , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Tae Sasakabe , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Rieko Okada, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Emi Morita, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

Yatami Asai, MD , Mikatahara, Hamamatsu, Japan

Atsuyoshi Mori, MD , Seirei, Hamamatsu, Japan

Nobuyuki Hamajima, PhD , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia is an indicator of nutritional risk in older adults. Few studies have reported the incidence of dysphagia and its relationship with food intake in young and middle-aged adults. We aimed to clarify the association of dysphagia with nutrient intake in people in the local community.

METHODS: We analyzed data from 4,647 Japanese males and females (mean age ± SD, 52 ± 12 years; range 35–69 years) who participated in a cohort study (J-MICC) from 2006 to 2007. They completed a validated food frequency questionnaire to estimate their nutrient intake levels. Dysphagia and number of teeth lost were self-reported and functional difficulty was categorized as always/often, sometimes, seldom, or none. We calculated mean daily intake according to dysphagia level, adjusting for sex and age by analysis of covariance and p values for trend were calculated.

RESULTS: Overall, 19% of the subjects had dysphagia, and the proportion increased with age (p < .001) from 13% (30s) to 23% (60s). There were no statistical differences between males and females. The mean intake of carotene (p < .001), soluble dietary fiber (p = .008), and insoluble dietary fiber (p = .005) decreased with an increasing level of dysphagia. Even after statistical adjustment for the number of teeth lost, these associations remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Swallowing problems were associated with an impaired intake of some nutrients. Dysphagia may affect the choice of nutritious foods, such as vegetables and fruits, among Japanese adults. Additional studies are needed to confirm this association and to determine whether the association relates to risk of future health problems.