Relationship between age and sex and the numbers of ingestions and swallows for foods of different textures among healthy adults

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 229; p. 113225
• Main Authors: Watanabe, Satoshi, Izuhara, Eri, Oh-Shige, Hideo, Miyachi, Hitoshi, Goto, Mitsuo, Hasegawa, Shogo, Miyabe, Satoru, Nagasaka, Yoshiki, Shimozato, Kazuo, Nagao, Toru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-02-2021
• Subjects: Age differences; Healthy adults; Ingestion; Sex differences; Swallow; Healthy adults; Sex differences; Swallow; Ingestion; Age differences
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113225

•Average number of swallows is higher than ingestions.•Sex was the influencing factor for ingestions of all foods.•Number of ingestions was higher in females vs. males.•Height and weight were negatively correlated with number of ingestions and swallows.•Number of ingestions and swallows was influenced by age, depending on food texture.
The number of swallows needed per single ingestion of food is an important index when assisting a patient with dysphagia in eating. While providing meal assistance, the caregiver may assume that one ingestion is completed with one swallow and then may administer the next ingestion even if the individual's mouth still has remaining food from the previous ingestions, increasing the risk for aspiration and choking.
The objective of this pilot study was to clarify the differences in foods ingested and swallowed because of influencing factors such as age and gender among healthy adults.
The study enrolled 110 healthy adults (47.4 ± 15.8 years; 57 males, 53 females). The numbers of ingestions and swallows were counted and evaluated by food type (pilaf, 100 g; yogurt 80 g; and sponge cake, 35 g) and participant age and sex and analyzed by least-squares multiple regression analysis.
The mean numbers of ingestion/swallows were pilaf, 12.5 ± 3.2/13.4 ± 4.2; yogurt, 8.8 ± 2.1/10.8 ± 2.1; and sponge cake, 5.8 ± 2.1/7.0 ± 2.1. The mean number of ingestions and swallows for all foods were higher for female participants compared with male participants. Statistical analysis identified sex as a significant influencing factor for the number of ingestion for all foods. For the number of swallows, the significant influencing factors were sex for sponge cake and age for pilaf and yogurt.
For the test foods of different textures, sex and age were significant influencing factors for the numbers of ingestions and swallows. Further research is needed to elucidate the problem areas in this pilot study.