小学生の咀嚼力と食習慣および体力測定値との関連

抄録

A questionnaire survey on dietary habits related to mastication was conducted, and masticatory strength was measured by chewing-gum method in 336 students (180 boys and 156 girls) of an elementary school in Osaka City in July 2016. Physical strength was measured in 148 students of the 4th to 6th grade. The relevance of masticatory strength to dietary habits and measurements of physical strength was examined based on the results.

The highest value for masticatory strength was obtained in the 6th grade students and the values were similar in boys and girls. Regarding dietary habits, awareness of mastication was high in the lower grades of elementary school, and intake of hard foods was high in the upper grades of elementary school. In the lower grades, there were significant correlations of masticatory strength with grade, speed of eating, and likes and dislikes. On the other hand, there were significant correlations of masticatory strength with grade, grip strength, anteflexion in a long sitting position, and 50m running time in the upper grades, but no correlation with dietary habits was observed. These results suggest the need for instructional direction emphasizing the development of good masticatory habits in daily meals in the lower grades and reconsideration of masticatory habits in the upper grades. The relevance between the measurements of physical strength and masticatory strength is expected to enhance the awareness of mastication in the upper grades.