Sensitivity of Basic Taste in Elderly

Thresholds Analysis of Five Basic Tastes in the Elderly Population

The purpose of this study is to identify the thresholds sensitivity of the five basic tastes in an elderly population and relate to food intake, nutritional status, age, gender and others variables.

The investigators propose a study of 300 elderly patients to characterize de sensitivity of the four basic tastes, according to the methodology of International Organization for Standardization (1985) and to identify umami taste (Mojet et al. 2001, 2003). This is a cross-sectional study. The length of the inclusion of the study will be 24 months. This study's general objective is: to characterize food intake, nutritional status and identify thresholds for the five basic tastes in an elderly population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 60 years old patient or older, who present oral feeding and the ability to express themselves to perform the sensory analysis tests will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient with fever, flu, cold or some complication in the oral cavity will be excluded, since these factors can interfere in the perception of the tastes and those that do not present conditions to express themselves or deficits of cognition, being excluded the elderly that present result of the application of the Mini Mental under 24. In addition to those who do not agree to sign the Term of Free and Informed Consent.