Linking Oral Frailty, Nutrition, and Physical Health: Strategies for Aging Well
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Geriatric Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2025 | Viewed by 36
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Environmental Physiology for Exercise, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
Interests: endocrinology and metabolism; exercise therapy; insulin resistance; glucose metabolism; frail; fall prevention; sports nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Oral frailty refers to the progressive deterioration of oral health associated with aging, including tooth loss, reduced chewing ability, impaired oral motor skills, and difficulty swallowing. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition due to challenges in consuming hard food resulting from tooth loss or ill-fitting prostheses. Additionally, they may experience swallowing difficulties due to insufficient saliva production and appetite loss, as prolonged chewing can make eating a tedious and time-consuming process.
Recent research has also examined the relationship between oral function and overall physical health in older adults. Studies have reported associations between poor oral function and sarcopenia, decreased muscle strength, increased fall risk, and even higher all-cause mortality. While malnutrition is thought to mediate the link between oral and physical function, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Notably, reduced occlusal force and clenching ability may contribute to impaired balance, directly increasing fall risk.
This Special Issue aims to compile research exploring oral frailty as a key intervention target, particularly in relation to its impact on physical function and fall risk from a long-term care prevention perspective. We welcome studies investigating the nutritional mechanisms by which oral frailty affects overall health and encourage contributions that highlight its role in preventive strategies. We hope that this Special Issue will foster new initiatives aimed at preventing long-term care dependency by addressing malnutrition caused by oral frailty.
Prof. Dr. Hisayo Yokoyama
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- oral health
- fall prevention
- nutritional support
- frailty
- long-term care prevention
- balance
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