Health · Medical Research · 42 mins ago
Study links children's chewing ability with stronger athletic performance
A Japan research team found a link between chewing ability and children's fitness in a study of elementary school students.
The team studied 1,225 fourth-graders in Osaka, surveyed in fiscal 2023.
Researchers tested chewing with color-changing gum and measured fitness with seven standard tests.
Children who chewed more effectively tended to do better in sprinting, shuttle runs, side-to-side jumps and softball throwing, and had higher overall fitness scores.
The link remained after accounting for height and weight, but the study does not show that better chewing causes better fitness.
The findings may encourage families and health professionals to look beyond tooth brushing and cavities and pay attention to whether children can chew properly.
A Japan research team found that children with stronger chewing ability tended to perform better on several athletic tests.
The study surveyed 1,225 fourth-grade students in Osaka in fiscal 2023.
Researchers measured chewing ability using color-changing gum and assessed fitness with seven standard tests.
The link with performance remained after accounting for differences in height and weight.
The findings suggest chewing ability may be linked to children's physical performance, as well as nutrition.
- Who
- A research team led by Kazunori Ikebe of the University of Osaka's Graduate School of Dentistry.
- What
- The team found an association between stronger chewing ability and better performance on several athletic tests.
- When
- The survey was conducted in fiscal 2023. The article was published on November 10, 2026.
- Where
- Osaka, Japan.
- Why
- The study examined whether children's chewing ability was linked to physical performance.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Researchers surveyed 1,225 fourth-grade students in Osaka and tested their chewing ability and fitness.
Mainichi EN published its report on the study.
- Participants
- 1,225 fourth-grade students
- Study location
- Osaka, Japan
- Survey period
- Fiscal 2023
- Chewing test
- Color-changing gum chewed at a fixed pace
- Fitness tests
- Seven standard tests, including a 50-meter sprint and a 20-meter shuttle run
What people are saying
Oral care for children often focuses on preventing cavities through tooth brushing and orthodontic treatment. I hope these findings will also encourage people to pay attention to whether children are able to chew food properly,