Comparable increases in energy, protein and fat intakes following the addition of seasonings and sauces to an older person's meal

Under-nutrition in older individuals is a serious and growing problem, as a result, amongst other factors, of decreased intake. Research has shown some support for the use of flavour enhancers or flavoursome foods as a tool for increasing nutritional intake in older individuals. In this study, seasonings and sauces were added to an older person's meal to investigate and compare effects on food consumption. Participants' were 18 free-living older individuals from Belfast. They consumed three meals on three separate occasions: one with seasoning, one with sauce, and one without seasoning or sauce, and intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat were compared. Other measures included pre and post-meal hunger and desire to eat, and pleasantness, familiarity, and flavour intensity of the meal. Significantly greater amounts of energy, protein and fat were consumed in the meals with seasoning and meals with sauce compared to meals served plain (smallest t(17) = 2.11, p = 0.05), with no differences between seasoning and sauce conditions (largest t = 0.51, p = 0.62). Flavour intensity ratings were also significantly higher for meals with sauce and meals with seasoning compared to meals served plain (smallest t(17) = 2.78, p = 0.01). These findings suggest that the addition of both seasoning and sauce to an older person's meal can result in comparable increases in energy, protein and fat intake. Effects support a role for flavour in increasing food intake in older individuals. These effects, however, need to be demonstrated repeatedly over a longer time period before their true value can be established.