Therapeutic diet plate waste and satisfaction among adult patients

Jaysrina Mahalinga Moorthy, . and Raudhatul Syahirah Ruzalee, . and Dewiana Malisa Putri Hafizon, . and Nurul Huda Razalli, . (2024) Therapeutic diet plate waste and satisfaction among adult patients. Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (Malaysia), 30 (2). pp. 245-256. ISSN 1394 – 035X

Introduction: There are limited studies on plate waste and satisfaction levels among adult patients receiving therapeutic diets in hospitals, particularly in the local context. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the percentage of plate waste and the level of satisfaction among adult patients receiving therapeutic diets, as well as the contributing factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a university hospital during lunch and dinner hours on eleven types of therapeutic diets. Food weighing and photography-assisted visual estimation by the Comstock scale were used to measure plate waste. Interviews were conducted with patients using the Acute Care Hospital Foodservice Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (ACHFPSQ) to collect information about their satisfaction towards food quality and service. Results: Mean overall plate waste rate for 96 patients receiving therapeutic diets was 43.6% (40.0% for lunch, 47.3% for dinner), with the highest rate of wastage in a combined diet low in fat and salt. Overall score for patient satisfaction was 3.7 out of 5. Patients had higher satisfaction levels with staff and food service (4.0) compared to food quality (3.4). Food quality negatively contributed to the rate of plate waste in terms of taste (r=-0.107, p=0.035), presentation (r=-0.078, p=0.043), and texture (r=-0.052, p=0.020). Conclusion: Therapeutic diet plate waste among adult patients in this study was high and primarily attributable to food quality. Efforts to minimise therapeutic diet plate waste should be made by improving food quality for the best possible outcomes for patients.

Full text available from: Official URL: https://maljnutr.org.my/publication/30-2/Vol%2030(...

Abstract

Introduction: There are limited studies on plate waste and satisfaction levels among adult patients receiving therapeutic diets in hospitals, particularly in the local context. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the percentage of plate waste and the level of satisfaction among adult patients receiving therapeutic diets, as well as the contributing factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a university hospital during lunch and dinner hours on eleven types of therapeutic diets. Food weighing and photography-assisted visual estimation by the Comstock scale were used to measure plate waste. Interviews were conducted with patients using the Acute Care Hospital Foodservice Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (ACHFPSQ) to collect information about their satisfaction towards food quality and service. Results: Mean overall plate waste rate for 96 patients receiving therapeutic diets was 43.6% (40.0% for lunch, 47.3% for dinner), with the highest rate of wastage in a combined diet low in fat and salt. Overall score for patient satisfaction was 3.7 out of 5. Patients had higher satisfaction levels with staff and food service (4.0) compared to food quality (3.4). Food quality negatively contributed to the rate of plate waste in terms of taste (r=-0.107, p=0.035), presentation (r=-0.078, p=0.043), and texture (r=-0.052, p=0.020). Conclusion: Therapeutic diet plate waste among adult patients in this study was high and primarily attributable to food quality. Efforts to minimise therapeutic diet plate waste should be made by improving food quality for the best possible outcomes for patients.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	therapeutic diets
AGROVOC Term:	food quality
AGROVOC Term:	waste management
AGROVOC Term:	food waste
AGROVOC Term:	catering
AGROVOC Term:	food service industry
AGROVOC Term:	questionnaires
AGROVOC Term:	organoleptic properties
AGROVOC Term:	consumer satisfaction
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Uncontrolled Keywords:	food service, hospital, plate waste, satisfaction level, therapeutic diet
Depositing User:	Ms. Azariah Hashim
Date Deposited:	27 Jul 2026 06:28
Last Modified:	27 Jul 2026 06:28
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/4097

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