Young At Heart Evaluation of Food Choice and Sensory Perception in Older Adults

With the growing population of older adults, a deeper understanding of their food choices and sensory sensitivity is vital for addressing their nutritional needs. The objective of this dissertation was to expand understanding of food choice and sensory perception in an older adult (60+) population. The first study evaluated food choice by uncovering which elements of ready-to-eat (RTE) meals were most important to older adults. Participants (n=285; mean age = 68.3) from Canada (n=167) and the United States (n=118) completed a two-part online survey and rating-based conjoint analysis was employed to identify meal preferences. Protein source was most important to the total population, with chicken having the greatest positive influence on liking. Study participants were segmented into four clusters based on their preferred meal inclusions. Cluster 1 (n=25) preferred chicken and not fish while Cluster 2 (n=190) was positively affected by chicken and fish. Cluster 3 (n=42) was negatively affected by spicy meals. Cluster 4 (n=23) participants preferred vegetarian options. Building on these results, three RTE meals were developed incorporating these elements (teriyaki chicken with rice, marinated tofu and carrots, and vegetable ratatouille). Study 2 objectives were to: (1) determine acceptance of the RTE meals and (2) characterize the oral health status and food choices of older adults and relate their data to meal acceptance. Participants (n=52, mean age = 71.7) were characterized for oral health and sensory perception; this was followed by an in-home assessment of the meals. Participant food choices were evaluated with the Food Choice Questionnaire. Sensory evaluations revealed the marinated tofu meal was liked significantly less than the other two meals. Participants were grouped by their food choices with one group (n=30) expressing the importance of sensory appeal, health, and price, and the other group (n=20) valued sensory appeal, health, and weight control. Results of this study suggest that sensory appeal and ...