Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Objectives To explore the association between the number of teeth and frailty among older Chinese adults using a nationally representative sample.Design Cross-sectional analysis was carried out using the 2014 wave data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which used a targeted ran...

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Main Authors: Qing Zhang, Yaohua Gu, Wenwen Wu, Jinbing Bai, Xuyu Chen, Xiaoli Chen, Liping Yu, Zhijie Zou, Xianwu Luo, Xianbo Pei, Xiaodong Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-10-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029929.full
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author Qing Zhang
Yaohua Gu
Wenwen Wu
Jinbing Bai
Xuyu Chen
Xiaoli Chen
Liping Yu
Zhijie Zou
Xianwu Luo
Xianbo Pei
Xiaodong Tan
author_facet Qing Zhang
Yaohua Gu
Wenwen Wu
Jinbing Bai
Xuyu Chen
Xiaoli Chen
Liping Yu
Zhijie Zou
Xianwu Luo
Xianbo Pei
Xiaodong Tan
author_sort Qing Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Objectives To explore the association between the number of teeth and frailty among older Chinese adults using a nationally representative sample.Design Cross-sectional analysis was carried out using the 2014 wave data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which used a targeted random-sampling design.Setting This research was conducted in communities from nearly half of the counties and cities in 22 out of 31 provinces throughout China.Participants Of the 6934 interviewees aged ≥65 years, the final analysis included 3635 older adults who had completed the 2014 wave survey on the variables included in the study.Primary and secondary outcome measures Outcome variables included frailty, measured by the Frailty Index, and number of teeth. Covariates included demographic characteristics (ie, age, sex, co-residence, marital status, years of education and financial support), body mass index (BMI) and health behaviours (ie, smoking, drinking and exercise). A univariate logistic regression was used to test the factors associated with frailty. A multiple logistic regression model was used, using the frailty score as the dependent variable and the number of teeth together with significant covariates as the independent variables.Results The prevalence of frailty was 27.68%. The mean number of teeth present was 9.23 (SD=10.03). The multiple logistic regression showed that older adults’ demographic variables, health behaviours, BMI, tooth number and chewing pain were significantly associated with frailty. After adjusting for the covariates, older adults with fewer teeth had significantly higher odds of frailty than those with 20 or more teeth (no teeth: OR=2.07, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.80; 1 to 10 teeth: OR=1.77, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.38), except for older adults with 11 to 20 teeth (OR=1.30, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.82).Conclusions The presence of fewer teeth is significantly associated with frailty status among older Chinese adults. Future studies are needed to explain the specific mechanisms underlying how oral health status is associated with frailty.
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spelling doaj-art-d211b4420a30494cbd439efe4b3fb42e2025-08-20T02:50:41ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-10-0191010.1136/bmjopen-2019-029929Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional studyQing Zhang0Yaohua Gu1Wenwen Wu2Jinbing Bai3Xuyu Chen4Xiaoli Chen5Liping Yu6Zhijie Zou7Xianwu Luo8Xianbo Pei9Xiaodong Tan10Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China1 Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, ChinaRenmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, ChinaNell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USADepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, ChinaGuangzhou Huanan Business College, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The First People`s Hospital of Xianyang, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China4 Department of Health Management, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China4 Department of Health Management, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, ChinaObjectives To explore the association between the number of teeth and frailty among older Chinese adults using a nationally representative sample.Design Cross-sectional analysis was carried out using the 2014 wave data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which used a targeted random-sampling design.Setting This research was conducted in communities from nearly half of the counties and cities in 22 out of 31 provinces throughout China.Participants Of the 6934 interviewees aged ≥65 years, the final analysis included 3635 older adults who had completed the 2014 wave survey on the variables included in the study.Primary and secondary outcome measures Outcome variables included frailty, measured by the Frailty Index, and number of teeth. Covariates included demographic characteristics (ie, age, sex, co-residence, marital status, years of education and financial support), body mass index (BMI) and health behaviours (ie, smoking, drinking and exercise). A univariate logistic regression was used to test the factors associated with frailty. A multiple logistic regression model was used, using the frailty score as the dependent variable and the number of teeth together with significant covariates as the independent variables.Results The prevalence of frailty was 27.68%. The mean number of teeth present was 9.23 (SD=10.03). The multiple logistic regression showed that older adults’ demographic variables, health behaviours, BMI, tooth number and chewing pain were significantly associated with frailty. After adjusting for the covariates, older adults with fewer teeth had significantly higher odds of frailty than those with 20 or more teeth (no teeth: OR=2.07, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.80; 1 to 10 teeth: OR=1.77, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.38), except for older adults with 11 to 20 teeth (OR=1.30, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.82).Conclusions The presence of fewer teeth is significantly associated with frailty status among older Chinese adults. Future studies are needed to explain the specific mechanisms underlying how oral health status is associated with frailty.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029929.full
spellingShingle Qing Zhang
Yaohua Gu
Wenwen Wu
Jinbing Bai
Xuyu Chen
Xiaoli Chen
Liping Yu
Zhijie Zou
Xianwu Luo
Xianbo Pei
Xiaodong Tan
Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
BMJ Open
title Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
title_full Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
title_short Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study
title_sort association between the number of teeth and frailty among chinese older adults a nationwide cross sectional study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029929.full
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