Reasons for malnutrition:

• Inability to fix a meal
• Forgetting to eat 
• Inability to recognize hunger 
• Decreased sense of smell and/or taste 
• Losing interest in food, or hoarding food 
• Inability to recognize difference between food and non-food items 
• Difficulties with swallowing 
• Poorly fitted dentures or some type of mouth discomfort
• Side effects of medication 
• Constipation 
• Depression 
• Some medical condition 

• Sudden or increasing weight loss 
• Fear of eating or choking 
• Complaints of food catching in throat 
• Elevated temperatures accompanying congestion 
• Wet sound voice during or after feeding 
• Reflux or regurgitation 
• Stuffing mouth 
• Reluctance to eat 
• Extremely rapid or slow eating 
• Drooling or excessive saliva 
• Food pocketing 
• Coughing or choking during or after meals 
• Coughing up food particles 
• Difficulty swallowing food 
• Consistent throat clearing during eating
  

Tips to increase or maintain adequate nutritional intake:

• Serve favorite foods at beginning of meal to encourage eating
• Serve cooked cereal and/or liquids thickened with fruit sauces if taking liquids is a problem 
• Serve strained, pureed food, powdered protein and ice cream if taking solids is a problem 
• If given a food or drink choice, limit it to two 
• Offer meals at regular times and in the same place 
• Have several small meals instead of three large meals 
• Have the main meal in the morning or early afternoon 
• Start meal with the food that has the highest nutritional value 
• Offer liquids frequently, and at room temperature 
• Offer a variety of food, since a person’s food preferences may change over time 
• Add extra nutrients to the diet if necessary 
• What to avoid Rushing through the meal
  

Foods that may result in choking (nuts, popcorn, chips, raw vegetables)
 

• Dry, stringy meats that are hard to chew
• Food without nutritional value