THE STATE OF DENTITION IN RELATION TO NUTRITION IN ELDERLY EUROPEANS IN THE SENECA STUDY OF 1993

Objective: To analyse the state of dentition and related aspects and t o study their influence on the dietary intake of nutrients. Design and subjects: In the second cross-sectional measurement of SENECA's follo w-up study, 12 research towns in 10 European countries and one town in Connecticut (USA) participated, involving 1424 elderly men and women born between 1913 and 1918. Dentition-related data were obtained from a general questionnaire; nutritional data were collected using a stand ardized modified dietary history. Results: A large variation in the de ntal state existed among the towns. Women were more often edentulous a nd had fewer teeth. Self-reported chewing difficulties varied enormous ly. Most complaints were found in: women, edentulous subjects without dentures and in the towns in Spain, Portugal and Poland. More dentate women reported having visited their dentist. In the edentulous groups, differences between towns were small; for the dentate groups the perc entage of dental visits varied from 0 in Coimbra (Portugal) to 96 in M ansfield (Connecticut/USA). For the edentulous subjects without any pr osthetic supply, intakes of carbohydrate and vitamin B6 were significa ntly reduced. Also intakes of vitamin B1, vitamin C, dietary fibre, ca lcium and iron tended to be lower in this group. Town-dentition intera ctions existed for most nutrients. Conclusions: Substantial difference s existed between towns in the influence of dentition on dietary intak e.