An ode to diet: stimulating the appetite of the elderly

Food manufacturers and suppliers have a responsibility to help older people enjoy the sensory pleasures that food brings them.
Ode
co-creator said. Today, there is a device that stimulates people's appetite through the use of scents.the senses of taste and smell of older friends slowly wane, so they are reluctant to eat light-flavoured foods. This means that hidden hunger and malnutrition have become a growing problem among older People in Europe.many
people over 60
who feel difficulty or even pain when swallowing, medically known as
"
, further lead to a decrease in intake. Patients also can't remember the meal time or whether they've served it.
Lizzie Ostrom
, co-founder of Ode
, says there is now a device in the UK that emits fragrances below the sensory threshold to stimulate the appetite of patients receiving physiotherapy at family-style physiotherapy centres and helps to give them a feeling of food.


has

to Denmark and the Netherlands,
Ode
, after a successful promotion of 60 physiotherapy centres in the UK.Ode
works based on the link between smell and people's brain's huge memory bank, stimulating appetite while evoking thoughts about food.week,
Ostrom
said earlier studies had shown that the aroma of fruit can stimulate people to choose to eat fruit. But it also comes with a balancing
-
if a food produces more flavor, it can sometimes reduce its intake.
We also have to take cultural considerations into account.
Ode
used curry flavours in the first round of tests for older patients in the UK, with little success, but the sa comfortingscent evoked thoughts about past foods
-
pies, stews, vegetables, and grilled meats., custom scents for a particular culture can lead to very complex results.
Ostrom
an experiment in France in which participants were exposed to a fresh mint scent that was related to positive emotions, as well as feelings of relaxation. But only people in North Africa use mint for cooking.at the same time, using an aromatic agent to stimulate people's desire for food will be a future study.
"
the more aromatics we develop, the more we need to match them to food.
," Ostrom
said."
In some cases, a particular scent makes people want to choose healthier foods, but this rebate doesn't apply to solving malnutrition because sometimes you're just looking for calories. But we've been trying to find aromatics, such as the aroma of orange juice, which are delicious and exhilarating, have a big appetite, and you can't eat a whole bowl of oranges in time.
,"
said. opportunity to be a leader as the European population ages, the food industry is increasingly aware of the importance of addressing these issues, but as
Ostrom
says, there is more we can do.
"
and suppliers should look for ways to create the optimal environment for nutrition and diet.
” “
Our focus is often on the product itself, including packaging, promotion, brand status, etc. But I think manufacturers and suppliers should play a role in supporting and notifying end users, including consumers,
B2C
,
B2B
, care programs, and health care providers, to help people create the best food environment.
” “
Now there is an opportunity for producers and suppliers to join in and become leaders.
” Ode
also focused on physiotherapy centers.
"
start our projects in places with specific needs, and of course we're lagging behind. However, if our equipment can be used at home to prevent malnutrition in the first place, then our project is ideal.
," Ostrom
said. , this emotionally stimulating approach is well worth the wider promotion.
Ostrom
cites a study of older people, for example, those who watched Warm Heart programs ate more snacks than those who watched reality shows.
"
if we feel moved, then we may eat more.
”