Older adults, particularly women with reduced olfaction, may have what nutritional concern?

• A. Reduced interest in cooking and consuming a variety of foods
• B. Increased interest in cooking
• C. Reduced appetite for all foods
• D. No nutritional concerns

Answer: (A)

Loss of smell in older adults reduces the flavor and enjoyment of meals, which tends to lower motivation to cook and to try a variety of foods. When meals aren’t appealing, people may cook less, eat the same simple foods, and skip diverse nutrient sources, increasing the risk of inadequate intake and malnutrition. This pattern fits best with reduced interest in cooking and consuming a variety of foods.

The other options don’t fit as well: a rise in cooking interest doesn’t align with diminished sensory input; a universal reduction in appetite for all foods isn’t the typical outcome of olfactory loss (it mainly dulls flavor and enjoyment rather than universally suppressing hunger); and claiming there are no nutritional concerns ignores the well-documented risk of undernutrition with sensory decline in older adults.