Assessing appetite in Dutch elderly with the Appetite, Hunger and Sensory Perception (AHSP) questionnaire.

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.