Abstract
We investigated the association between the sense of coherence (SOC) score and nutritional outcome to identify factors related to the prevention of malnutrition in 63 elderly subjects (20 males, 43 females; mean age: 81.1 years old) at nursing homes with regular care assistance in the Kitakyushu area, and who did not have mental or psychological problems such as dementia or depression. The nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA).
Assessment of the oral health status including the swallowing function was also performed. Information regarding the lifestyle was obtained by a questionnaire completed during face-to-face interviews at the day-care centers.
Our results showed a significant correlation between the SOC score and MNA, physical fitness, appetite, and number of teeth. Multiple regression analysis showed that the correlation between the SOC score and MNA remained significant after adjusting for possible confounding factors. The nutritional status of elderly individuals was associated with health-oriented behavior based on the salutogenic concept.
