Høier Alexander Teymour Zadeh Baboli, Chaaban Nora, Andersen Barbara Vad
Food Quality Perception and Society, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
Foods. 2021 Feb 20;10(2):464. doi: 10.3390/foods10020464.
COVID-19 and sequelae thereof are known to cause chemosensory dysfunction, posing a risk for intake and adequate nutrition for recovery. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the subjective strategies for maintaining appetite applied by patients recovering from COVID-19. The study included 19 in-depth interviews, focusing on patients suffering from long-term effects of COVID-19. The results were analysed using a thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results on strategies for maintaining appetite included four key themes: (1) a focus on well-functioning senses, (2) a focus on familiar foods, (3) a focus on the eating environment, and (4) a focus on post-ingestive well-being. It was found that factors prior to, during and after food intake, as well as the context, could influence desire to eat and pleasure related to food intake. As ageusia and anosmia make characterization of food difficult, being able to recognize and memorize its flavour was important to engage in consumption. Under normal circumstances, the hedonic value of food relies predominantly on the flavour of foods. When suffering from chemosensory dysfunction, shifting focus towards the texture of food, including trigeminal stimulation during consumption, were beneficial for maintaining appetite and food-related pleasure. Furthermore, a focus on the holistic satisfying feelings of choosing healthy food, as well as a focus on other people's enjoyment during meals were reported to boost well-being around food intake. The study elaborated our understanding of the complex consequences of COVID-19, and can be applied in health promoting initiatives targeted patients recovering from COVID-19.
众所周知，新冠病毒及其后遗症会导致化学感应功能障碍，对康复期间的食物摄入和充足营养构成风险。本研究的总体目标是调查新冠康复患者维持食欲所采用的主观策略。该研究包括19次深入访谈，重点关注受新冠长期影响的患者。采用定性数据主题分析法对结果进行分析。维持食欲策略的结果包括四个关键主题：（1）关注功能良好的感官，（2）关注熟悉的食物，（3）关注饮食环境，（4）关注摄入后的幸福感。研究发现，食物摄入前、摄入期间和摄入后的因素以及环境，都会影响进食欲望和与食物摄入相关的愉悦感。由于味觉丧失和嗅觉丧失使食物特征难以辨别，能够识别并记住食物味道对于进食很重要。在正常情况下，食物的享乐价值主要取决于食物的味道。当出现化学感应功能障碍时，将注意力转向食物的质地，包括进食时的三叉神经刺激，有利于维持食欲和与食物相关的愉悦感。此外，关注选择健康食物的整体满足感，以及关注他人用餐时的享受，据报道有助于提升进食时的幸福感。该研究阐述了我们对新冠复杂后果的理解，并可应用于针对新冠康复患者的健康促进倡议中。
