Development of a Masticatory Indicator Using a Checklist of Chewable Food Items for the Community-Dwelling Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to develop a new assessment scale to evaluate masticatory ability among community-dwelling elderly individuals. The study comprised 761 independent elderly subjects residing in the community. We pooled 25 food items with various textures. Based upon the pass rate and nonresponse rate, we extracted 9 food items to be included in the masticatory ability assessment for the community-dwelling elderly (MACE). The reliability of this assessment was determined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. We then examined the concurrent validity of the MACE by comparing it with an existing method termed “mastication score.” Additionally, the convergent validity was examined by comparing the correlation coefficients of MACE, general oral health assessment index (GOHAI), and the number of teeth. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of MACE was 0.89 (), indicating satisfactory reliability. MACE was significantly correlated with the mastication score (), GOHAI (), and the number of teeth (). These results suggest that MACE is a useful tool with sufficient reliability and validity to identify declines in masticatory ability among community-dwelling elderly individuals.