"This has no flavor": balancing nutrition, taste, and salt restriction in geriatric care units.

Authors

Emanuele Marzetti, Riccardo Calvani, Isabel Rodriguez Sanchez, Hélio Jose Coelho-Junior

Published in

The Journal of frailty & aging. Volume 15. Issue 4. Pages 100183. Jun 27, 2026. Epub Jun 27, 2026.

Abstract

Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) has played a fundamental role in human history, not only as a dietary component but also as a cultural, symbolic, and economic resource. Global salt intake remains high and heterogeneous, with marked geographical variation in both consumption levels and dietary sources. Numerous studies have shown significant associations between salt consumption and adverse health outcomes. Hospitals have implemented salt-restriction strategies that may have unintended consequences for food palatability and nutritional intake, particularly among older adults. In geriatric settings, where appetite-related disorders such as dysgeusia, dysphagia, and xerostomia are common, strict dietary sodium restriction may further compromise food consumption and increase the risk of malnutrition. Here, we discuss the potential implications of salt restriction in acute geriatric care, highlighting its possible impact on dietary intake, palatability and nutritional status.

PMID:
42365601
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Jun 2026.

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