Geroscience. 2025 Dec 2. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-02015-8. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral functional decline may contribute to frailty in older adults by affecting nutrition, physical performance, and psychosocial well-being. However, longitudinal evidence using rigorous analytic approaches, including competing risk analysis, remains limited. This study examined the association between self-reported oral functional limitation and frailty onset over 4 years, with attention to sex differences.
METHODS: We used 4-year prospective data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study, comprising 1558 community-dwelling older adults aged 70-84 years at baseline (2016). After excluding participants with missing data and baseline frailty, 1348 robust individuals were analyzed. Oral function was assessed using two self-reported items on chewing and pronunciation difficulties. Frailty was defined using the validated Korean Frailty Index. Cox proportional hazards and Fine-Gray competing risk models were applied to evaluate the risk of frailty onset, stratified by sex. Interaction analyses were performed for major comorbidities.
RESULTS: Oral functional limitation was significantly associated with increased frailty risk (Cox-adjusted HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.20-2.53; Fine-Gray-adjusted SHR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.17-2.46). This association was significant among women (HR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.52-3.92; SHR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.46-3.80), but not among men (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.44-1.73; SHR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.44-1.68). No significant interactions were observed with cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis.
CONCLUSION: Self-reported oral functional limitation was significantly associated with frailty onset over 4 years, particularly among women. Incorporating oral function assessment into geriatric screening and community health programs may facilitate early identification of risk and the implementation of preventive strategies for frailty.
PMID:41331404 | DOI:10.1007/s11357-025-02015-8