Taste and Smell
Older people frequently report that they are losing their ability to enjoy food. This problem is related to a decline in the taste buds. Persons 70 to 85 years old have, on average, only one-third as many taste buds as young adults. Olfactory sensitivity also declines among older adults and helps explain why many complain about their food. Cross-sectional studies reveal that a large number of older individuals have higher detection thresholds for smell, diminished intensities, and an impaired ability to identify and discriminate odors.