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Softer Meals That Impact the Life of the Elderly (SMILE) - Food Intake Study
Sponsor: Singapore Institute of Technology
Summary
Older adults with chewing or swallowing difficulties may require texture-modified diets to reduce the risk of choking and aspiration. However, conventional texture-modified meals may be less visually appealing and may have lower energy and protein content because of the liquid added during pureeing. These factors may reduce food intake and increase the risk of poor nutrition. This study will evaluate whether visually appealing, texture-modified soft meals prepared from familiar Asian foods can improve food and nutrient intake among older adults with chewing or swallowing difficulties. Up to 35 residents aged 60 years and above will be recruited from a nursing home in Singapore. Eligible participants must have reported chewing and/or swallowing difficulties and must have been consuming a texture-modified diet for at least six months. The study will be conducted over two weeks. During the first week, participants will receive the nursing home's existing texture-modified menu. During the second week, they will receive soft versions of the same menu items. The soft meals will be prepared using an enzyme gellant and moulded to resemble the appearance of the original foods. The texture of the soft meals will be verified by the nursing home's speech therapist as safe and appropriate for each participant before the meals are served. Food intake will be assessed at breakfast, lunch and dinner over seven days in each study week. Individual food items will be weighed before and after each meal to determine the amount consumed. Photographs of the food will also be taken before and after consumption to support assessment of intake. The amount of food consumed will be used to estimate participants' energy and nutrient intake. The primary aim is to compare food intake during the soft-meal week with food intake during the existing-menu week. The study will provide preliminary evidence on whether familiar, visually appealing texture-modified soft meals can improve oral intake among nursing home residents with chewing or swallowing difficulties. The findings may inform future food-service practices for older adults who require texture-modified diets.
Official title: Softer Meals That Impact the Life of the Elderly (SMILE)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
60 Years - 90 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
27
Start Date
2026-03-09
Completion Date
2026-05-03
Last Updated
2026-10-05
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Moulded Pureed Meals
Familiar Asian menu items are modified using an enzyme gellant to produce moulded pureed meals. Individual meal components, including carbohydrate, protein and vegetable components, are pureed separately with added liquid and enzyme gellant, heated, and transferred into food-grade silicone moulds resembling the original foods. After setting, the components are unmoulded, plated and served as visually recognisable versions of the corresponding menu items. The meals are prepared by trained nursing home kitchen staff using existing kitchen equipment. Their texture is verified by the nursing home's speech therapist as safe and appropriate for participating residents before serving. Participants receive the moulded pureed meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner for seven consecutive days.
Control diet
A control diet, which is the conventional pureed meals are provided.
Locations (1)
Singapore Institute of Technology
Singapore, Singapore