title: Food for patients at nutritional risk: a model of food sensory quality to promote intake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate food sensory quality as experienced and perceived by patients at nutritional risk within the context of establishing a framework to develop foods to develop foods to promote intake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients at nutritional risk (NRS-2002; food intake ≤ 75% of requirements) were observed at meals in hospital (food choice, hunger/fullness/appetite scores). This was followed by a semi-structured interview based on the observations and focusing on food sensory perception and eating ability as related to food quality. Two weeks post-discharge, a 3-day food record was taken and interviews were repeated by phone. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analysed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients (N = 22) from departments of gastrointestinal surgery, oncology, infectious medicine, cardiology, and hepatology were interviewed at meals (N = 65) in hospital (82%) and post-discharge (18%). Food sensory perception and eating ability dictated specific food sensory needs (i.e., appearance, aroma, taste, texture, temperature, and variety defining food sensory quality to promote intake) within the context of motivation to eat including: pleasure, comfort, and survival. Patients exhibited large inter- and intra-individual variability in their food sensory needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study generated a model for optimising food sensory quality and developing user-driven, innovative foods to promote intake in patients at nutritional risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 30 Rolighedsvej, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark. janice.m.sorensen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Michael Bom
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Frøst
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kondrup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000517:prevention & control; D062407:Meals; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012903:Smell; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D055815:Young Adult