Comparison of Food Physical Properties with reference to Clinically Effective Stepwise Swallowing Foods

Abstract

A potential reduction in the serum albumin in patients with dysphagia may be attributed in part to the difficulty in deciding as to which physical properties are suitable for these patients. According to the dietary criteria performed in Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, therefore, foods classified into 3 grades of severity were selected among 5 graded foods to determine their physical properties. As a result, the hardness of 2–7×10³N/m² was considered suitable for patients with dysphagia of Grade 1, 1–10×10³N/m² for those of Grade 2, and 1.2×10⁴N/m² or less for those of Grade 3. The cohesiveness was revealed to be suitable at 0.2–0.5 for patients with dysphagia of Grade 1, 0.2–0.7 for those of Grade 2, and 0.2–0.7 for those of Grade 3. As for the adhesiveness, the value below 2×10²J/m² was considered suitable for patients with dysphagia of Grade l and below 2×10²J/m³ for those of Grade 2. It was however suggested that the cohesiveness should be around 0.4 when the adhesiveness ranged from 2–5×10²J/m³. Although the adhesiveness below 3×10²J/m³ was revealed to be suitable for patients with dysphagia of Grade 3, It was suggested that the cohesiveness should be around 0.4 when the adhesiveness ranged form 3–8×10²J/m³.