# FOOD PREFERENCES AND AVERSIONS IN THE ELDERLY

> **NIH NIH R01** · MONELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER · 1993 · $103,779

## Abstract

The long-term goal of this program of research is to develop improved
methods for bringing about diet change and for stimulating good appetite in
the elderly.  A thorough understanding of basic mechanisms of food
selection in older individuals is necessary to accomplish that goal.
Studies are proposed in three basic areas.

Preliminary studies suggest that compared to young subjects, elderly
subjects show lower levels of food neophobia (reluctance to try novel foods
or dislike for the taste of novel foods).  The influence of age and
olfactory loss on food neophobia will be studied.  Two methods for
overcoming neophobia will be compared in young and elderly subjects.  They
include the use of information about novel foods (e.g. "Try it, it tastes
good.") to increase willingness to sample the foods and a comparison of the
effectiveness of smelling, tasting and ingesting novel foods in producing
increased liking due to exposure.  These studies will also provide
information on whether food neophobia is based on fear of bodily harm or on
fear of an unpleasant taste experience.

The hypothesis that there is a hormonal mechanism for differences in types
of foods craved by young and elderly women will be tested.  Results of a
pilot study indicate that individuals on restricted diets are more likely
to report a craving than are individuals on unrestricted diets.  Since
elderly subjects are particularly likely to have restricted diets, the
effect on cravings of eating a nutritionally adequate but monotonous diet
will be assessed.

There is a decline in the incidence of acquired food aversions with age.
Since there is large olfactory component to aversions, it has been
suggested that age-related olfactory decline is the mechanism for the
reduced incidence of food aversions in the elderly.  In one study, the
olfactory hypothesis will be evaluated against an alternative, that the
difference in incidence is due to age-related cognitive changes.  In a
second, prospective study, the olfactory hypothesis will be examined in a
study of acquired food aversions in cancer patients who are undergoing
chemotherapy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3121833
- **Project number:** 5R01AG009892-02
- **Recipient organization:** MONELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DJCTQA1PR7Q4
- **Principal Investigator:** MARCIA Levin PELCHAT
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $103,779
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-08-01 → 1996-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3121833

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3121833, FOOD PREFERENCES AND AVERSIONS IN THE ELDERLY (5R01AG009892-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3121833. Licensed CC0.

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