Hospital food: a survey of patients' perceptions
Abstract
Background & aims Most hospitalised patients are dependent on hospital food for their nutritional requirements. We surveyed hospitalised patients to obtain their opinions of hospital food in order to improve menu planning and food delivery. Methods Three hundred and seventeen questionnaires were distributed to patients on an oral diet in two Swiss hospitals. Questions assessed eating habits, appetite, satisfaction with menus, food preferences and presentation, understanding of choices available and preferred choices. Results Three hundred and nine (97.5%) questionnaires were completed and analysed. Two hundred and sixty-five (86%) respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with hospital food. Two hundred and forty-one (78%) were satisfied with the way in which the food was served. There was a negative correlation (P=0.005) between duration of hospital stay and satisfaction with the food provided: 121 (39%) respondents stated that their appetite was the same as at home, and 50% stated that it had decreased during their time in the hospital. Eighty-seven (28%) patients said they ate all the food served, 148 (48%) ate most of it, and 68 (22%) ate only a small proportion. Patients felt that the temperature, appearance and aroma of the food were particularly important. Conclusion Based on the findings of this survey we have made recommendations for improvements in hospital food and its presentation.
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Patients in rehabilitation units would benefit from eating together with conviviality and caregivers could pay more attention to patients with assisted meals if needed.
“Patients would benefit from eating together with conviviality and caregivers could pay more 668 attention to patients with assisted meals if needed (following recommendations of the French 669 National Food Council [55] and of the National Nutrition Council and Finnish Institute for 670 Health and Welfare [56], autonomous patients should stop keeping in their rooms for”
From ESPEN guideline on hospital nutrition (2021) · cites this paper as [56]
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ESPEN guideline on hospital nutrition
Thibault, R., Abbasoglu, O., Ioannou, E., Meija, L., Ottens-Oussoren, K., Pichard, C., Rothenberg, E., Rubin, D., Siljamäki-Ojansuu, U., Vaillant, M.-F., et al. (2021) · Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.09.039 · Cited by 259 · see citing works
- Authors
- Stanga, Z.
- Affiliations
- University Hospital of Bern (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Stanga, Z
- ORCID
- Stanga, Z
- Venue
- Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-06
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 241-246
- ISSN
- 0261-5614 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2082620204
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 2.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bern Open Repository and Information System (University of Bern) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Rigshospitalet
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Dietetics, Nutrition, and Education
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare
- Keywords
- hospital food, patient satisfaction, food preferences, meal planning, food presentation, appetite, dietary habits, oral diet, food delivery, length of hospital stay
- MeSH terms
- Appetite, Diet Surveys, Female, Food Preferences, Food Service, Hospital, Humans, Inpatients, Length of Stay, Male, Menu Planning, Middle Aged, Odorants, Perception, Surveys and Questionnaires, Switzerland, Taste, Temperature, Patient Satisfaction
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