Cooking schools for patients with smell loss
Tue-S3-006
Presented by: Alexander Wieck Fjaeldstad
Introduction
A reduced or missing sense of smell has become a widely known problem in the wake of COVID-19. However, it has for a long time been a frequent handicap, with approximately 15% of the population suffering from a reduced sense of smell (hyposmia) while 2-3% completely lack the sense of smell (anosmia). The disorder affects the quality of life and around 90% of patients complain of impairment of the eating experience, making this the most common problem in these patients.
Methods
Patients with smell loss were offered a 5-week cooking school course with a focus on emphasizing the other senses to regain enjoyment of food. Before starting and three months after the course, testing of the sense of smell (TDI) was carried out. Before starting, after the last session, and three months after the course, the participants filled in questionnaires about their senses, quality of life and food and cooking habits. Through combined theory and practice on the cooking school, the ability to taste with basic flavors and highlight the sensory benefits of the food with texture, temperature, tactility and trigeminal stimulation was trained.
Results
Through five classes of the cooking school, 49 participants with loss of smell have completed a cooking school course (37 women, mean age 57 years, median duration of loss of smell 36 months). There was a significant improvement in the sense of smell three months after the cooking school, both by testing (n:29; Scale 1-48; 21.0 vs 23.1, p=0.03) and subjectively (n:31; scale 0-100; 24.3 vs 37.2, p =0.03). Food had a greater positive effect on quality of life after the cookery school (n:34; scale 0-100; 52.5 vs 66.25, p=0.04).
Positively evaluated recipes have been adjusted according to feedback and published as an online cookbook.
Conclusion
Focusing on food and cooking in patients with loss of smell can have a positive effect on both the sense of smell and quality of life.
The project is financially supported by the VELUX Foundation.
A reduced or missing sense of smell has become a widely known problem in the wake of COVID-19. However, it has for a long time been a frequent handicap, with approximately 15% of the population suffering from a reduced sense of smell (hyposmia) while 2-3% completely lack the sense of smell (anosmia). The disorder affects the quality of life and around 90% of patients complain of impairment of the eating experience, making this the most common problem in these patients.
Methods
Patients with smell loss were offered a 5-week cooking school course with a focus on emphasizing the other senses to regain enjoyment of food. Before starting and three months after the course, testing of the sense of smell (TDI) was carried out. Before starting, after the last session, and three months after the course, the participants filled in questionnaires about their senses, quality of life and food and cooking habits. Through combined theory and practice on the cooking school, the ability to taste with basic flavors and highlight the sensory benefits of the food with texture, temperature, tactility and trigeminal stimulation was trained.
Results
Through five classes of the cooking school, 49 participants with loss of smell have completed a cooking school course (37 women, mean age 57 years, median duration of loss of smell 36 months). There was a significant improvement in the sense of smell three months after the cooking school, both by testing (n:29; Scale 1-48; 21.0 vs 23.1, p=0.03) and subjectively (n:31; scale 0-100; 24.3 vs 37.2, p =0.03). Food had a greater positive effect on quality of life after the cookery school (n:34; scale 0-100; 52.5 vs 66.25, p=0.04).
Positively evaluated recipes have been adjusted according to feedback and published as an online cookbook.
Conclusion
Focusing on food and cooking in patients with loss of smell can have a positive effect on both the sense of smell and quality of life.
The project is financially supported by the VELUX Foundation.