Oral health and nutritional status in Egyptian elderly

Abstract

A cross-sectional sample of 253 ambulatory elderly Egyptians (99 males and 154 females) of minimal age, 60 y, living in the metropolitan Cairo area was investigated. Nutritional status assessment was based on body weight, mid-upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness. Additionally, three nutritional indices, namely body mass index, index of adiposity and index of muscularity, were computed. The oral cavity was examined clinically to evaluate the number and health condition of teeth present. Results showed that the anthropometric nutritional indicators were higher than expected, however, they decreased by age in both sexes. In addition, the values of body mass index and index of adiposity in females were significantly higher than in males, while the reverse was observed in regards to muscularity index (p<0.05). The three nutritional indices in dentate subjects were slightly higher than those in edentulous ones. Moreover, within the dentate groups there was a tendency for increased values of these indices by the increasing number of healthy teeth.