Self-Reported Olfactory Dysfunction and Diet Quality: Findings from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Ashima K. Kant,Howard J. Hoffman,Lauren Berube,Valerie B. Duffy,Barry I. Graubard,Chuan-Ming Li,Shristi Rawal,John E. Hayes

doi:10.3390/nu13124561

Abstract

We identified associations between self-reported olfactory dysfunction (OD) and dietary attributes in participants aged ≥40 years (n = 6,356) from the nationally representative 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The chemosensory questionnaire and 24-h dietary recalls were administered by trained interviewers. OD was defined as self-report of either smell problems in the last year, worse smell relative to age 25, or perceiving phantom odors. Dietary outcomes included Healthy Eating Index 2015 score (HEI) with adequacy and moderation components (higher scores indicated higher diet quality), dietary diversity, energy density, and intake of major food groups. Survey-weighted linear regression models estimated OD–diet associations, adjusting for socio-demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Adjusted mean difference (95% CI) between those with versus without OD, showed that adults with OD had significantly lower HEI moderation score (−0.67 (−1.22, −0.11)) and diets higher in energy density (0.06 (0.00, 0.11)), and percent energy from saturated fat (0.47 (0.12, 0.81)), total fat (0.96 (0.22, 1.70)), and added sugar (1.00 (0.33, 1.66)). Age and sex-stratified analyses showed that younger females (40–64 years) primarily accounted for the associations with diet quality and total/saturated fat intake. These findings inform dietary screening and recommendations for adults who report OD, including those experiencing transient or persistent smell loss with COVID-19.

Highlights

The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought important attention to the chemical senses and the role that poor diet and related conditions, such as obesity, play in the risk of COVID-19 infection
Dietary interviews for the U.S National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 were collected as part of What We Eat in America (WWEIA) [42]
olfactory dysfunction (OD) was self-reported by 1399 participants and was associated with being older and having a lower ratio of family income to the poverty line (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought important attention to the chemical senses and the role that poor diet and related conditions, such as obesity, play in the risk of COVID-19 infection. Self-reported olfactory dysfunction (OD) is an important indicator of a smell problem and is one of the best predictors of a positive COVID-19 status [5,6,7]. The sense of smell plays a central role in the composite perceptual experience of food flavor, and accumulating evidence indicates its strong potential to influence diet selection, diet quality, and energy intake [8]. Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2011 This manuscript presents a detailed assessment of associations between self-reported OD and measures of diet quality and energy intake in this nationally representative sample, while controlling for multiple demographic, health and lifestyle behaviors

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Discussion

Conclusion