# Association between malnutrition and low tongue pressure in community-dwelling older people: a population-based cohort study

## TL;DR

This study found that low tongue pressure in older adults is linked to an increased risk of malnutrition, both at baseline and over time.

## Contribution

The study establishes a novel association between low tongue pressure and future malnutrition risk in older people.

## Key findings

- Low tongue pressure at baseline was associated with increased malnutrition risk in older adults.
- Low tongue pressure predicted malnutrition risk after a 4-year follow-up period.

## Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the data from a cohort study of community-dwelling older people to clarify the impact of low tongue pressure on the onset of malnutrition. The analysis was divided into a baseline and a longitudinal analysis. The baseline analysis included 765 people (median age: 74 years; 276 men and 489 women), and the longitudinal analysis included 100 people (median age: 72 years; 33 men and 67 women). The baseline analysis showed that tongue pressure and the diagnosis of low tongue pressure using a cut-off of 30 kPa were associated with the risk of malnutrition (tongue pressure: odds ratio [OR] = 0.972, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.953–0.992, p = 0.006; the diagnosis of low tongue pressure: OR = 1.555, 95% CI = 1.050–2.302, p = 0.027). In the longitudinal analysis, tongue pressure and the diagnosis of low tongue pressure at baseline were associated with the onset of the risk of malnutrition after 4 years (tongue pressure: OR = 0.952, 95% CI = 0.907–0.998, p = 0.041; the diagnosis of low tongue pressure: OR = 2.698, 95% CI = 1.148–6.341; p = 0.023). In community-dwelling older people, low tongue pressure could increase the risk of future malnutrition.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-11229-x.