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

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 Malmö (SH-M) and Göteborg (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.