Increased Food Quality Affects Quality Ratings and Intake of Some, but Not All Foods by Older Americans Act Congregate Nutrition Site Attendees

An abstract of a study by Matthews et al evaluating the role of food quality in meal consumption for elder adults is presented. Results show that percent plate waste significantly decreased for enhanced chicken and peaches, but not significantly for broccoli, potatoes, and bread. There was a marginally significant increase in total energy consumed for the enhanced meal versus the control meal, suggesting that increased food quality may encourage greater consumption of meals by elder adults.