Older adults’ involvement in developing satisfactory pasta sauces with healthy ingredients

Purpose The third age can be a period of major food consumption changes. Either voluntary or imposed by health issues, they may be accompanied by alterations in sensory acuity. This research investigated how lifelong food habits, health-age issues affect food choice at a later age, with the aim of developing strategies to direct aged people towards healthier food habits. Design/methodology/approach A survey, aimed to investigate differences between current and past food habits, was carried out in a group of 170 Italian older adults. Questions focused on the composition of the main meal, asking participants to describe its actual structure and to highlight differences in previous years’ food habits. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) was planned, during which participants were asked to help formulating innovative pasta sauces with healthy ingredients. Findings This survey clearly illustrated gender-related differences: women were characterized by a higher consumption of vegetables, while men revealed a mor...