(P22-070-25) Young-Olds Versus Oldest-Olds: Aging’s Impact on Nutrition, Swallowing, Body Composition, and Physical Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Objectives: The older adult population is increasing worldwide, significantly burdening healthcare and support systems. Early identification of health concerns is critical to maintain quality of life (QOL) among this population. The objective of this study was to assess nutrition, swallowing, body composition, and physical function in young-old (YO, 65-79 y) and oldest-old (OO, ≥ 80 y) “community-dwelling seniors” (CDSs) and describe prevalence of poor status.

Methods: CDSs (n=96; 78% female; 79.2.1±7.0 y) participated in a visit to assess a) nutrition risk (Dietary Screening Tool [DST]), b) dysphagia risk (Yale swallow screen; Eating Assessment Tool-10 [EAT-10], dysphagia screening tool; anterior, posterior, and saliva swallow pressures [Iowa Oral Performance Instrument]), c) body composition (waist and calf circumference; percent body fat, body fat mass index [BFMI]; fat-free mass index [FFMI]), and d) physical function (SARC-F, sarcopenia screener; Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB]). Body fat percentage was assessed via bioelectric impedance analysis (BodyStat). BFMI (fat mass, kg/[height, m]²) and FFMI (fat-free mass, kg/[height, m]²) were calculated. Independent sample t-tests examined differences between YO ( < 80 y; n=49) and OO (≥ 80 y; n=47) groups.

Results: While 18(18.8%) and 60(62.5%) of CDSs were at “risk” and “possible risk” for poor nutrition, nutrition risk was not different between the YOs and OOs. With respect to swallowing measures, 23(24.0%) of the CDSs failed the 90mL swallow challenge, with OOs reporting worse EAT-10 scores (p=0.038) and demonstrating lower average anterior tongue strength (p=0.044) than YOs. Percent body fat was higher in OOs (p=0.020); other body composition measures were not significantly different. 27(28.1%) of the CDSs had poor lower limb function as evidenced by the SPPB; OOs had poorer function than YOs (p=0.041). Lastly, 11(11.5%) of the CDSs had SARC-F scores associated with significant muscle loss.

Conclusions: Disparities in wellness measures suggest that CDSs face significant risks to health and QOL, with greater concerns for OOs compared to YOs. These findings highlight the importance of early screenings and intervention for all older adults to maintain their health and well-being.

Funding Sources: None