Flavor Enhancement of Food Improves Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status of Elderly Nursing Home Residents

TLDR

Age‑related loss of taste and smell can reduce food enjoyment and consumption, threatening the nutritional status of frail elderly residents. The study aimed to test whether adding flavor enhancers to nursing home meals increases consumption and improves nutrition. A 16‑week parallel‑group trial compared meals with added flavor enhancers to control meals, measuring intake, appetite, and anthropometry at baseline, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks. Residents receiving flavor enhancers gained weight (+1.1 kg), maintained intake, and reported increased hunger, whereas the control group lost weight and intake, demonstrating that flavor enhancement improves dietary intake and body weight.

Abstract

Taste and smell losses occur with aging. These changes may decrease the enjoyment of food and may subsequently reduce food consumption and negatively influence the nutritional status of elderly persons, especially those who are frail. The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of flavor enhancers to the cooked meals for elderly residents of a nursing home promotes food consumption and provides nutritional benefits.We performed a 16-week parallel group intervention consisting of sprinkling flavor enhancers over the cooked meals of the "flavor" group (n = 36) and not over the meals of the control group (n = 31). Measurements of intake of the cooked meals were taken before and after 8 and 16 weeks of intervention. Appetite, daily dietary intake, and anthropometry were assessed before and after the intervention.On average, the body weight of the flavor group increased (+1.1 +/- 1.3 kg; p <.05) compared with that of the control group (-0.3 +/- 1.6 kg; p <.05). Daily dietary intake decreased in the control group (-485 +/- 1245 kJ; p <.05) but not in the flavor group (-208 +/- 1115 kJ; p =.28). Intake of the cooked meal increased in the flavor group (133 +/- 367 kJ; p <.05) but not in the control group (85 +/- 392 kJ). A similar trend was observed for hunger feelings, which increased only in the flavor group.Adding flavor enhancers to the cooked meals was an effective way to improve dietary intake and body weight in elderly nursing home residents.