Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study

Hiramatsu, Risa; Kosaka, Takayuki; Otsugu, Masatoshi; Nishimoto, Tatsuya; Yoshimatsu, Masayuki; Murotani, Yuki; Sakanoshita, Norimasa; Ueda, Yasuhiko; Nakano, Kazuhiko; Ikebe, Kazunori

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867

Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study

Hiramatsu, Risa; Kosaka, Takayuki; Otsugu, Masatoshi et al.

Journal of Dentistry, 2026, 174, 106867

Number of Access:49（2026-09-08 10:14 Counts）

Identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11094/106274

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Title	Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study
Creator	CreatorName Hiramatsu, Risa
	NRID 1000040755360 1000040755360 researchmap permalink kosaka1116 kosaka1116 Scopus Author ID 56112579700 56112579700 ORCID 0000-0003-3593-755X 0000-0003-3593-755X CreatorName Kosaka, Takayuki
	NRID 1000040803086 1000040803086 researchmap permalink tsugu tsugu Scopus Author ID 55853966200 55853966200 ORCID 0000-0002-4413-8648 0000-0002-4413-8648 CreatorName Otsugu, Masatoshi
	CreatorName Nishimoto, Tatsuya
	CreatorName Yoshimatsu, Masayuki
	NRID 1000090983578 1000090983578 researchmap permalink yuki_murotani yuki_murotani CreatorName Murotani, Yuki
	CreatorName Sakanoshita, Norimasa
	CreatorName Ueda, Yasuhiko
	NRID 1000000379083 1000000379083 ORCID 0000-0002-2209-2685 0000-0002-2209-2685 researchmap permalink read0202427 read0202427 Scopus Author ID 7402011667 7402011667 CreatorName Nakano, Kazuhiko
	NRID 1000070273696 1000070273696 ORCID 0000-0001-5696-6785 0000-0001-5696-6785 researchmap permalink read0185241 read0185241 Scopus Author ID 35494649700 35494649700 CreatorName Ikebe, Kazunori
Subject	Masticatory performance
	Physical fitness
	School children
	Sex differences
Description	Hiramatsu R., Kosaka T., Otsugu M., et al. Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study. Journal of Dentistry 174, 106867 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867.
Abstract	Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary school children. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,225 children (608 boys and 617 girls) aged 9-10 years in Osaka, Japan. Masticatory performance was assessed using a color-changeable chewing gum. Physical fitness was evaluated using seven standardized tests (handgrip strength, sit-ups, side-to-side jump, 20-m shuttle run, 50-m sprint, standing long jump, and softball throw), and a composite physical fitness score was calculated as the mean of sex-standardized z-scores. Associations between masticatory performance and physical fitness were examined using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for height and weight. Sex-stratified analyses were also performed. Results: In the overall analysis, masticatory performance was significantly associated with side-to-side jump, 20-m shuttle run, 50-m sprint, softball throw, and the composite physical fitness score. In boys, significant correlations were observed for sit-ups, 20-m shuttle run, softball throw, and the composite physical fitness score, whereas in girls, only the 20-m shuttle run showed a significant correlation. In sex-stratified multivariable analyses, masticatory performance was significantly associated with the composite physical fitness score in boys, but not in girls. Conclusion: Masticatory performance was associated with several physical fitness components, as well as the composite physical fitness score, in Japanese elementary school children, particularly in boys. Clinical significance: These findings highlight the importance of developing and maintaining adequate masticatory function during childhood, which was associated with higher physical fitness in the present study.
Publisher	Elsevier Ltd
Source Title	Journal of Dentistry
Volume (Issue)	174
Page	106867
Date of Issued	2026-07-06
Language	English
Handle URL	https://hdl.handle.net/11094/106274
PISSN	03005712
Relation.isIdenticalTo	DOI (Publisher Version) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867
Access Rights	open access
CopyRight	This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
oaire:version	Version of Record
Category	学術雑誌論文 Journal Article

Resource Type	journal article
Local Type	Journal Article
DCMI Type	Text
DCTERMS.bibliographicCitation	Journal of Dentistry. 2026, 174, p. 106867
DC.title	Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study
DC.creator	Hiramatsu, Risa
	Kosaka, Takayuki
	Otsugu, Masatoshi
	Nishimoto, Tatsuya
	Yoshimatsu, Masayuki
	Murotani, Yuki
	Sakanoshita, Norimasa
	Ueda, Yasuhiko
	Nakano, Kazuhiko
	Ikebe, Kazunori
DC.publisher	Elsevier Ltd
DC.language' scheme='DCTERMS.RFC1766	English
DC.type' scheme='DCTERMS.DCMIType	Text
DCTERMS.issued' scheme='DCTERMS.W3CDTF	2026-07-06
DC.identifier	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867
DC.subject	Masticatory performance
	Physical fitness
	School children
	Sex differences
DC.description	Hiramatsu R., Kosaka T., Otsugu M., et al. Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study. Journal of Dentistry 174, 106867 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867.
DCTERMS.abstract	Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary school children. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,225 children (608 boys and 617 girls) aged 9-10 years in Osaka, Japan. Masticatory performance was assessed using a color-changeable chewing gum. Physical fitness was evaluated using seven standardized tests (handgrip strength, sit-ups, side-to-side jump, 20-m shuttle run, 50-m sprint, standing long jump, and softball throw), and a composite physical fitness score was calculated as the mean of sex-standardized z-scores. Associations between masticatory performance and physical fitness were examined using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for height and weight. Sex-stratified analyses were also performed. Results: In the overall analysis, masticatory performance was significantly associated with side-to-side jump, 20-m shuttle run, 50-m sprint, softball throw, and the composite physical fitness score. In boys, significant correlations were observed for sit-ups, 20-m shuttle run, softball throw, and the composite physical fitness score, whereas in girls, only the 20-m shuttle run showed a significant correlation. In sex-stratified multivariable analyses, masticatory performance was significantly associated with the composite physical fitness score in boys, but not in girls. Conclusion: Masticatory performance was associated with several physical fitness components, as well as the composite physical fitness score, in Japanese elementary school children, particularly in boys. Clinical significance: These findings highlight the importance of developing and maintaining adequate masticatory function during childhood, which was associated with higher physical fitness in the present study.
DC.rights	This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
DC.format	106274
citation_title	Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study
citation_author	Hiramatsu, Risa
	Kosaka, Takayuki
	Otsugu, Masatoshi
	Nishimoto, Tatsuya
	Yoshimatsu, Masayuki
	Murotani, Yuki
	Sakanoshita, Norimasa
	Ueda, Yasuhiko
	Nakano, Kazuhiko
	Ikebe, Kazunori
citation_publisher	Elsevier Ltd
citation_language	English
citation_date	2026-07-06
citation_journal_title	Journal of Dentistry
citation_volume	174
citation_firstpage	106867
citation_doi	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2026.106867
citation_public_url	https://hdl.handle.net/11094/106274

Association between masticatory performance and physical fitness in Japanese elementary schoolchildren: The Osaka MELON Study

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