オーラルフレイルと内在的能力の関連を明らかに-口腔機能への早期介入が心身能力の保持に寄与する可能性-

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2026-06-03 東北大学

東北大学大学院歯学研究科の研究グループは、宮城県・秋田県の65歳以上の地域在住高齢者を対象としたフレイル健診データを用いて、口腔機能の低下を示す「オーラルフレイル」と、WHOが提唱する心身機能の総合的指標「内在的能力」との関連を調査した。その結果、オーラルフレイルの構成要素が多く低下している高齢者ほど、身体機能、認知機能、心理面などから成る内在的能力の低下も広範囲に認められることが明らかとなった。さらに、外出や社会参加の減少を意味する「閉じこもり」が、オーラルフレイルと内在的能力低下の関連を部分的に媒介している可能性も示された。これらの結果は、口腔機能の衰えが単なる口の問題にとどまらず、高齢者の総合的な健康状態や生活機能の低下と深く結びついていることを示している。研究グループは、早期の口腔機能評価と適切な介入が、高齢者の内在的能力を維持し、健康寿命の延伸に寄与する可能性があると指摘している。

オーラルフレイルと内在的能力の関連を明らかに-口腔機能への早期介入が心身能力の保持に寄与する可能性-
図1. 内在的能力(Intrinsic capacity)を構成する5領域

<関連情報>

地域在住高齢者の口腔衛生、食事の多様性、在宅状況、および内在能力 Oral health, dietary variety, homebound status, and intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults

Takamasa Komiyama, Takashi Ohi, Eiko Sato, Moe Sato, Yoshinori Hattori
The Journal of nutrition, health and aging  Available online: 19 May 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2026.100880

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the association between oral health indicators and intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults, and to determine whether dietary variety or homebound status moderated this association.

Methods

The study included 692 community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Oral health indicators included mastication, oral motor function, salivation, swallowing, oral frailty (integrating these four components) based on the latest international e-Delphi study and tongue pressure. All indicators were assessed using oral examinations or validated questionnaires. Intrinsic capacity deficits were assessed across five domains: vitality, psychological, cognitive, locomotive, and sensory. Intrinsic capacity was operationalized as the number of deficits across the five domains. Data on dietary variety and homebound status were also collected. The covariates included age, sex, education, smoking status, drinking status, and comorbidities. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between oral health indicators and intrinsic capacity deficits. Interaction terms between oral frailty and dietary variety or homebound status were also included.

Results

The prevalence of sensory, locomotive, psychological, cognitive, and vitality deficits was 41.2%, 7.4%, 11.9%, 22.0%, and 17.3%, respectively. In the multivariate model, individuals having more oral frailty deficits (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08–1.24), decreased tongue pressure (RR, 1.20, 95% CI, 1.04–1.39), lower oral motor function (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05–1.42), declined swallowing function (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08–1.46), and oral dryness (RR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.15–1.53) were more likely to have intrinsic capacity deficits. No significant interactions were observed between oral frailty and dietary variety, or between oral frailty and homebound status, on intrinsic capacity.

Conclusion

This study showed that cumulative declines in oral health were associated with intrinsic capacity deficits in community-dwelling older adults; moreover, effect modification by dietary variety or homebound status was not identified. Integrated dental services may help maintain intrinsic capacity in older adults; however, longitudinal studies are warranted to better understand this association.

医療・健康
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