Association Between Time Preferences and Masticatory Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Eating is fundamental to life, encompassing not only nutritional intake but also emotional, social and communicative functions. Since the global ageing population grows, assessing eating ability-related issues, particularly masticatory dysfunction, is of significance. Masticatory dysfunction impairs food absorption, elevates the risk of choking and contributes to malnutrition. Time preferences, such as time discounting and present bias, influence health behaviours and may be related to masticatory function; however, this relation remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE(S): This study aimed to investigate the association between time preference and masticatory function in community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey included older adults (≥ 65 years) participating in senior clubs in an urban area of Japan. Time preferences (time discounting and procrastination) were assessed using selected questions from the Global Preference Survey, while masticatory function was measured by the Gluco Sensor GS-II. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between time preference and outcomes.

RESULTS

Among the participants (N = 65, mean age 79.1 ± 5.5 years), a significant association was found between higher time discounting tendencies and lower masticatory function (β = -19.62, p = 0.014). Procrastination was not associated with masticatory function or nutritional status.

CONCLUSION

Higher tendencies towards time discounting were associated with lower masticatory function, suggesting that cumulative behavioural decisions might influence oral function. These findings provide a foundation for future research and interventions aimed to promote behavioural changes for improving functional outcomes.