ArticleBMC geriatrics2026
Chewing efficiency, nutritional status, and frailty in geriatric patients: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Latent profiles of active ageing and their association with oral health-related quality of life among rural older adults in China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChewing function is critical for maintaining health and well-being in older adults. Impaired chewing efficiency has been linked to systemic conditions such as stroke, respiratory disease, and cognitive decline, as well as increased frailty and its progression. Tooth loss and partial dentition often lead older adults to avoid hard-to-chew, fibre-rich foods, thereby increasing their risk of malnutrition. Despite its importance, chewing function remains under-recognized in geriatric assessments. This study aimed to evaluate chewing efficiency and its association with frailty and nutritional status in geriatric patients.
methodsCross-sectional study of 150 consecutive patients at an acute geriatric clinic in Germany. Participants underwent comprehensive geriatric and dental examinations, including a frailty-assessment using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and a nutritional screening, the Mini Nutritional Assessment short form (MNA). Chewing efficiency was measured using a two-color chewing gum mixing test.
resultsAmong the 150 patients (mean age 82.3 ± 7.6 years, 63.3% female), 28.7% were edentulous. Malnutrition was present in 44.6% of patients, and 47.5% were at risk of malnutrition. Frailty was identified in 81.2% of patients. Lower chewing efficiency was significantly associated with higher frailty (B = 1.36; 95% CI: 0.30, 2.42) and poorer nutritional status (B=-2.46; 95% CI: -4.78, -0.14).
conclusionChewing efficiency, primarily an indicator of oral health, also closely reflects systemic frailty. Preserving oral function and chewing ability may be important for maintaining overall health in older adults. Given the high prevalence of oral health deficits in frail older adults, incorporating a brief dental assessment into routine geriatric care is both feasible and warranted.
trial registrationThe study received approvel from the Ethics Committee of the Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, and was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) on 17th April 2024 (registration number: DRKS00033778).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.