Influence of food properties on hospital meal consumption among inpatients in level four public hospitals in Nairobi City County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20260293Keywords:
Kenya public healthcare, Nairobi City County Hospital(s), Food consumption, Sensory quality, Hospital food, Food properties, Inpatient nutritionAbstract
Background: Adequate food intake among hospitalized patients is essential for recovery and nutritional well-being. Despite investments in hospital catering services in Kenya, low inpatient food consumption persists. Sensory and qualitative food properties strongly influence acceptance and eating behavior. This study examined the influence of food attributes taste, texture, aroma, temperature, variety, and presentation on meal consumption among inpatients in two level four public hospitals in Nairobi County.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 160 inpatients at Mbagathi and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospitals using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and observation checklists. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression to assess associations between food properties and consumption levels.
Results: Food properties showed a non-significant yet theoretically meaningful influence on food consumption, explaining 4.2% of the variance (R²=0.042, p=0.117). Texture approached significance (p=0.094). Observational findings indicated that hospital meals, though nutritionally adequate, lacked sensory appeal due to monotony, suboptimal temperature, and limited variety factors linked to higher plate waste, particularly of vegetables.
Conclusions: Food properties are critical determinants of food consumption in public hospitals. Enhancing food variety, flavor, texture, temperature control and overall meal presentation can significantly improve intake and reduce plate waste. Hospital catering departments should incorporate sensory quality controls and patient-centered feedback mechanisms to guide meal planning.
Metrics
References
Lalande A, Alexis S, Brasher PMA, Gadhari N, Zhao J, MacNeill AJ. Determining patient satisfaction, nutrition, and environmental impacts of inpatient food at a tertiary care hospital in Canada: a prospective cohort study. Dietetics. 2025;4(3):29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4030029
Wilandh E, Skinnars Josefsson M, Persson Osowski C, Mattsson Sydner Y. Improving hospital food and meal provision: a qualitative exploration of nutrition leaders’ experiences in implementing change. BMC Health Serv Res. 2025;25(1):410. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12499-x
Jonathan A, Reid K, Radcliffe T. Managing food waste in the inpatient population. BMJ Open Qual. 2023;12(4):e002436. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002436
Motoki K, Saito T, Nouchi R, Kawashima R, Sugiura M. The paradox of warmth: ambient warm temperature decreases preference for savory foods. Food Qual Prefer. 2018;69:1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2018.04.006
Kushwah S, Dhir A, Sagar M. Ethical consumption intentions and choice behavior towards organic food: moderation role of buying and environmental concerns. J Clean Prod. 2019;236:117519. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.350
Nyamwange TN. Factors affecting customer satisfaction in public hospitals in Kisumu Municipality. Kisumu: Maseno University. 2012.
Omondi KB. Factors influencing service delivery at the county government: a case of Kakamega County. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2016;5(6):377-89.
Boughoula M, Jamaluddin R, Abd Manan NA, Saad HA, Ab Karim MS. Development of a tool to measure patients’ satisfaction of hospital foodservice in a government hospital. Malays J Nutr. 2020;26(2):141-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31246/mjn-2019-0047
Raoul PC, Cintoni M, De Rossi C, Leonardi E, Ribaudi E, Rinninella E, et al. Nutritional intake in hospitalized patients receiving texture-modified diets: preliminary results from an observational study. Dietetics. 2025;4(3):40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/dietetics4030040
Ncube LJ, Letsoalo ME. Foodservice quality in South African hospitals: patient experiences. Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2019;32(3):599-610. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-11-2017-0213
Trinca V, Duizer L, Keller H. Putting quality food on the tray: factors associated with patients’ perceptions of the hospital food experience. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2022;35(1):81-93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12929
Williamson K. Research methods for students, academics and professionals: information management and systems. Oxford: Elsevier. 2002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1533/9781780634203
Schiavone S, Pelullo CP, Attena F. Patient evaluation of food waste in three hospitals in southern Italy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(22):4332. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224330
Fincham JE. Response rates and responsiveness for surveys, standards, and the Journal. Am J Pharm Educ. 2008;72(2):43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5688/aj720243
Baruch Y, Holtom BC. Survey response rate levels and trends in organizational research. Hum Relations. 2008;61(8):1139-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726708094863
Keller H, Allard J, Vesnaver E, Laporte M, Gramlich L, Bernier P, et al. Barriers to food intake in acute care hospitals: a report of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015;28(6):546-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12314
Ottrey E, Porter J, Huggins CE, Palermo C. “Meal realities”–an ethnographic exploration of hospital mealtime environment and practice. J Adv Nurs. 2018;74(3):603-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13477
McCray S, Maunder K, Barsha L, Mackenzie-Shalders K. Room service in a public hospital improves nutritional intake and increases patient satisfaction while decreasing food waste and cost. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2018;31(6):734-41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12580
Field A. Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. 5th ed. London: SAGE Publications. 2018. Available at: https://repo.darmajaya.ac.id/5678 /1/Discovering%20Statistics%20Using%20IBM%20SPSS%20Statistics%20(%20PDFDrive%20).pdf. Accessed on 01 November 2025.
Hair JJF, Black WC, Babin BJ, Anderson RE. Multivariate data analysis. 8th ed. Andover: Cengage Learning. 2019. Available at: https://eli.johogo.com/ Class/CCU/SEM/_Multivariate%20Data%20Analysis_Hair.pdf. Accessed on 01 November 2025.
Trinca V, Iraniparast M, Morrison-Koechl J, Duizer L, Keller H. Hospital Food Experience Questionnaire (HFEQ): reliable, valid and predicts food intake in adult patients. Clin Nutr. 2021;40(6):4011-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.04.041
Furst T, Connors A, Bisogni CA, Sobal J, Falk LW. Food choice: a conceptual model of the process. Appetite. 1996;26(3):247-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.1996.0019
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
