Associations Between Plate Waste, Food Experience and Meal Quality in a Hospital Inpatient Setting: An Exploratory...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nutrition Science
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Limited international research exists on inpatient plate waste.
• Understanding factors influencing plate waste is crucial for improving hospital food services and sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore associations between inpatient plate waste, patient food experience, and meal quality.
• To identify factors contributing to reduced food waste in hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving adult inpatients (≥18 years).
• Assessed meal temperature and sensory quality using the Meal Quality Audit Tool (MQAT).
• Evaluated patient meal experience via the Hospital Food Experience Questionnaire (HFEQ) and visually estimated plate waste.

Main Results:

• Higher patient food experience scores correlated with a 5% increased odds of lower plate waste (≤25%).
• Meals meeting temperature targets showed an 82% increased odds of lower plate waste (≤25%).
• Sensory meal quality was not significantly associated with plate waste or food experience.

Conclusions:

• Lower inpatient plate waste is linked to improved patient food experience and adequate meal temperatures.
• Further multicenter studies are needed to validate these findings across diverse patient populations.