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Assessing appetite in Dutch elderly with the Appetite, Hunger and Sensory Perception (AHSP) questionnaire
1Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenlaan 1, 6703 HA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Marie-Francoise.Mathey@Staff.NutEpi.WAU.NL
Background:
In investigating anorexia of ageing, attention is often given to physical and psychological determinants of appetite in the elderly but little has been done to provide information on self-assessment of appetite and sensory perceptions in the elderly.
Objectives:
to provide data and detect possible differences in self-assessment of appetite, hunger feelings and sensory perception in different health group of elderly using the Appetite, Hunger feelings and Sensory Perception (AHSP) questionnaire.
Methods:
three health categories of elderly subjects were used for the present study: free-living with no help, free-living with help and nursing home elderly. For each group, collected data were general characteristics, anthropometry and answers to the AHSP. The AHSP questionnaire includes 29-items focusing on feelings of hunger and appetite as well as taste and smell perception addressing both the present situation and the period before retirement.
Results:
Significant differences were observed between the 3 health groups for appetite, hunger feelings, present taste perception and present smell perception (P<0.05). Appetite and hunger were found to be related to body weight in the healthiest but not in the others.
Conclusion:
A decline in health status is paired with a decrease in appetite, hunger feelings and sensory perceptions of elderly subjects.