Table 2.
Descriptive characteristics, Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2005) Total Score, and Number of Foods Avoided by frequency of removing dentures before eating (N=379)
| Variable | Never removes N=211 (55.7%) | Sometimes removes N=104 (27.4%) | Always removes N=64 (16.9%) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean ± SE) | 72.9 ± 0.8 | 71.1 ± 1.0 | 71.0 ± 1.6 | 0.32 |
| Gender (N[% female]) | 92 (43.9) | 45 (43.3) | 39 (60.8) | 0.25 |
| Ethnicity (N[%]) | ||||
| White | 111 (52.7) | 36 (35.0) | 33 (51.4) | 0.01 |
| African American | 47 (22.2) | 21 (19.8) | 14 (21.5) | |
| American Indian | 53 (25.1) | 47 (45.2) | 17 (27.1) | |
| Education (N [%]) | ||||
| Less than HS | 120 (57.1) | 68 (65.3) | 45 (71.4) | 0.21 |
| HS | 60 (28.5) | 16 (15.8) | 14 (22.0) | |
| More than HS | 30 (14.3) | 20 (18.9) | 4 (6.6) | |
| Below Poverty Level (N[%]) | 69 (32.7) | 37 (36.0) | 34 (53.0) | 0.07 |
| HEI-2005 Total Score* | 61.9 ± 1.2 | 62.8 ± 1.6 | 60.3 ± 1.9 | 0.57 |
| Foods avoided* | 2.1 ± 0.3 | 2.6 ± 0.4 | 2.8 ± 0.5 | 0.27 |
*
Least square means adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, education, and poverty status