Summary
Eating behaviors and different food properties have been a matter of extensive research for decades, but little attention has been paid to the impact food texture has on health outcomes. The most recent studies linked to food texture mainly focus on such areas as definitions and terminology development, certain disorders (dysphagia and obesity) treatment, and effects on people’s preferences.
However, the scope of research can be expanded substantially to include such domains as specific physiological outcomes, treatment of various gastrointestinal and infectious diseases, as well as solutions to diminish or eliminate malnutrition in numerous countries.
Introduction
The discussion of food tends to involve such aspects as nutrients, calories, flavors, smells, and even colors. The texture was the topic that used to attract little attention until recently. This property of food has gathered momentum due to its value to the food industry as well as its impact on people’s health (Wahlqvist 2016). It is noteworthy that the research related to the appropriate texture for babies, older adults, or patients diagnosed with certain disorders has been quite considerable (Rothenberg & Wendin 2015; Green et al. 2017; Ullrich & Crichton 2015).
However, the actual effects of food texture on people’s health are still under-researched as scientists have only paid attention to a few aspects of the issue. Importantly, these findings have proved to be quite promising as they resulted in the development of interventions aimed at treating serious illnesses, so potential benefits of further inquiry can hardly be overestimated. This minireview dwells upon the existing gaps related to the association between food texture and health outcomes.
Standards
One of the areas that have received researchers’ attention rather recently is linked to the description of texture and the introduction of certain standards. To study a phenomenon, it is essential to have the necessary vocabulary that could be utilized in academia. It is noteworthy that food is primarily described with the help of concepts related to flavor and smell, but there are a few words to describe the texture. Nevertheless, when treating certain disorders, scientists need a range of specific terms so that they could develop a treatment that could be implemented in different areas and settings (Martin 2019).
Some efforts to introduce the required terminology have been made (Hayakawa 2015). For instance, International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) was established to achieve this goal, and a set of standards and terms were created. Cichero et al. (2016) examined the usability of the developed definitions and terms and concluded that they were appropriate for the international scientific community. Hence, the initial steps necessary to identify the exact impact of food texture on people’s health have been undertaken.
People’s Preferences
The epidemics of obesity and eating disorders across the globe compelled many researchers to investigate the link between texture, food consumption, and eating patterns. The studies on the matter are not numerous and often provide conflicting results. For instance, Hogenkamp (2014) examined the effect texture had on calorie intake and the size of consumed meals. It was found that texture had a considerable influence as people tried to consume less at the initial stages of the study, but this effect disappeared rather soon. Apart from eating patterns, researchers have been interested in the impact food texture had on swallowing behaviors (Steele et al. 2014).
The correlation between texture and swallowing function was apparent, but Steele et al. (2014) claim that more research is necessary as none of the reviewed studies provided comprehensive data on the matter.
As has been mentioned above, research concerning food texture modification for different age groups has been implemented for decades and is characterized by considerable achievements. It is found that food texture affects people’s preferences and likings that tend to change throughout their life (Duizer & Field 2015). Children and older adults, as well as people diagnosed with dementia or dysphagia, often choose the food they find easy or pleasant to chew and swallow.
It is noteworthy that such preferences have been investigated by food producers who try to identify the most winning properties of foods, which could help them increase their profits. Further exploration of this aspect is necessary since scientists have no consensus as to the needs of infants concerning complementary feeding. The confusion in this sphere results in uncertainty related to developmental outcomes for children and causes distress among parents.
Health Outcomes
Irrespective of some progress associated with the influence of food texture on people’s eating behaviors, little is known about the exact health outcomes linked to this property of food. Although it has been found that people might estimate the nutritional value of foods based on their texture, it is unclear whether this psychological effect has any physiological outcomes (Hogenkamp 2014). Furthermore, it is important to dig deeper into the relationship between texture and people’s preferences since it can be instrumental in identifying the factors making people eat healthier foods. It is also unknown whether food texture affects the way nutrients are digested.
It can be beneficial to identify the impact food texture can have on satiation. This information could contribute to the development of solutions related to such issues as obesity (as well as associated health conditions) and malnutrition. Food texture can help people shape their diets and choose nutritious foods consumed in proper quantities. Researchers can try to link food texture to the treatment of various health issues such as gastrointestinal disorders or infectious diseases.
For instance, the modification of food texture can be a part of interventions developed for people diagnosed with respiratory disorders (such as Tracheitis). It is vital to focus on different age groups as children, adolescents, and adults seem to fall out of the scope of the research. Nevertheless, these age groups have unique preferences and can have varied physiological responses to different food properties.
Conclusion
On balance, it is important to note that the research on the impact of food texture on health outcomes is still in its infancy. Although some steps have been implemented, little is known about the exact effects of food texture on people’s health. It is necessary to hail the advances related to the development of terminology and definitions as it can provide researchers with the necessary instrumentation to develop interventions and research methods.
The exploration of the topic can potentially contribute to the creation of effective measures to treat such conditions as obesity, eating disorders, dysphagia, gastrointestinal, or even infectious diseases. DIscoveries in food texture research can also lead to solving the issues of malnutrition in many countries. Therefore, it is essential to conduct further studies to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data related to the effects food texture can have on people’s health.
Reference List
Cichero, JAY, Lam, P, Steele, CM, Hanson, B, Chen, J, Dantas, RO, Duivestein, J, Kayashita, J, Lecko, C, Murray, J, Pillay, M, Riquelme, L & Stanschus, S 2016, ‘Development of international terminology and definitions for texture-modified foods and thickened fluids used in dysphagia management: the IDDSI framework’, Dysphagia, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 293-314.
Duizer, LM & Field, K 2015, ‘Changes in sensory perception during aging’, in J Chen & Rosenthal, A (eds), Modifying food texture, volume 2: sensory analysis, consumer, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp.19-44.
Green, JR, Simione, M, Le Révérend, B, Wilson, EM, Richburg, B, Alder, M, Del Valle, M & Loret, C 2017, ‘Advancement in texture in early complementary feeding and the relevance to developmental outcomes’, Complementary Feeding: Building the Foundations for a Healthy Life, vol. 87, pp.29-38.
Hayakawa, F 2015, ‘Vocabularies and terminologies of food texture description and characterisation’, in J Chen & Rosenthal, A (eds), Modifying food texture, volume 2: sensory analysis, consumer, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp.3-18.
Hogenkamp, PS 2014, ‘The effect of sensory–nutrient congruency on food intake after repeated exposure: do texture and/or energy density matter?’, Physiology & Behavior, vol. 136, pp.86-90.
Martin, L 2019, Practical nutrition and hydration for dementia-friendly mealtimes, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.
Rothenberg, E & Wendin, K 2015, ‘Texture modification of food for elderly people’, in J Chen & Rosenthal, A (eds), Modifying food texture, volume 2: sensory analysis, consumer, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp.163-185.
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Ullrich, S & Crichton, J 2015, ‘Older people with dysphagia: transitioning to texture-modified food’, British Journal of Nursing, vol. 24, no. 13, pp. 686-692.
Wahlqvist, ML 2016, ‘Food structure is critical for optimal health’, Food & Function, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 1245-1250.