Texture-modified meat and carrot products for elderly people with dysphagia: preference in relation to health and oral status

Abstract

Background: Reduced taste and smell, chewing problems and swallowing dysfunction are common among
elderly people and affect perception, food choice and the ability to eat.
Objective: To study the preference for texture-modified carrot and meat products in elderly people aiming to
meet the needs of people with impaired chewing and/or swallowing.
Design: Data were collected using questionnaires focusing on health, oral status and preference for the
products. Altogether, 108 elderly people in ordinary housing (OH) and 50 living in special housing (SH) in
Malmo¨ (SH-M) and Go¨teborg (SH-G) participated.
Results: 19% had a body mass index ≤22, predominantly in SH (24%). Stroke was reported by 20% of the
subjects in SH. Among those with subjectively experienced difficulties in swallowing (12%), 58% reported
coughing, 21% a gurgly voice in association with food intake and 50% obstruction during swallowing. Only
20% with subjective swallowing difficulties had been specifically examined regarding this problem. All the
tested products were easy to masticate and swallow. Compared with OH, people in SH-M found the meat
products easier to masticate and swallow. Compared with OH, subjects in SH found the carrot products easier
to masticate
Conclusions: There is a need to develop tasty texture-modified nutritious food products for people with
mastication and/or swallowing problems. Possible factors for differences in preference between groups, in this
study OH and SH, may be related to health status in general and specifically mastication and swallowing
functions.