Singing Habit Potentially Prevents the Oral Frailty of Japanese Healthy Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals

BACKGROUND: Focus has recently been placed on the importance of taking measures against the oral frailty of healthy elderly individuals. OBJECTIVE: To exploratorily examine the association of singing habit with the oral frailty of Japanese healthy middle-aged and elderly subjects. METHODS: Self-reported questionnaire surveys on singing habit, oral frailty, social isolation, and depressive tendency were conducted. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated, and simple linear regression analysis assessed the association of an independent variable (singing habit scores) with a dependent variable [oral frailty index (OFI)-8 scores], while multiple linear regression analysis assessed the associations of independent variables (age, gender, as well as the presence or absence of singing habit, social isolation, and depressive tendency) with the OFI-8 scores. RESULTS: 32 subjects (6 males and 26 females; mean age, 69.0±5.6 years) participated in the surveys. The OFI-8 scores ranged from 0 to 11 points (mean score: 3.3±2.3 points), with the most predominant score of 4 points (8/32, 25.0%). Simple linear regression analysis (n=32) revealed that singing habit significantly lowered the OFI-8 scores (p=0.045), although no correlation was detected (R2=0.1269). Multiple linear regression analysis (n=31) revealed that singing habit showed a moderate inverse correlation (b, -1.73; r=-0.44) with and significantly lowered the OFI-8 scores (p=0.03), suggesting its potential of reducing the risk of oral frailty. Age, social isolation, and depressive tendency had no significant association with the OFI-8 scores. CONCLUSION: The present exploratory study does not provide conclusive evidence about oral frailty prevention by singing habit but affords underpinnings for further research. Keywords: Singing Habit, Oral Frailty, Depression, Social Isolation, Healthy Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals, Self-reported Questionnaire Surveys