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.