Association between number of teeth, edentulism and use of dentures with percentage body fat in south Brazilian community-dwelling older people

Objective: To evaluate if poor oral status was associated with percentage body fat in a representative sample of south Brazilian community-dwelling elderly. Background: Evidence suggests that elders with extensive tooth loss and edentulism present with compromised chewing function, which results in dietary changes. However, few studies have assessed whether poor oral status is associated with percentage body fat in community-dwelling elderly. Materials and methods: A random sample of 471 south Brazilians => 60 years of age was evaluated. Measurements included a questionnaire to assess socio-demographic, behavioural, general, and oral health data. Percentage body fat was measured with a Tanita TBF 612 digital scale, which measures foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance; and oral status assessment, by means of oral examinations assessing the number of teeth and use of dental prostheses. Correlates of risk of inadequate percentage body fat were assessed by means of multinomial logistic regression. Results: Edentulous participants were more likely to be underfat [OR: 3.11 (1.27-7.61)] or overfat/obese [OR: 1.82 (1.05-3.16)]. Conclusion: The present study shows that edentulous older people had higher odds for inadequate percentage body fat. The maintenance of teeth had a crucial role in increasing the chance of having an adequate body fat percentage in the study population.