Many people suffer from dysphagia, a condition that causes trouble swallowing. This can affect their nutritional intake and quality of life. Healthcare professionals provide these men and women with a texture-modified diet to ensure they can swallow safely and get the necessary nutritional elements. Different texture levels are offered depending on the degree of swallowing difficulty.
Dysphagia’s Impact on Daily Life
Several things can lead to dysphagia. A person might have a stroke, head or neck cancer, or another medical condition that makes it challenging for them to swallow. The mouth, throat, and esophagus don’t work together to move food from the mouth through the digestive tract. They are at higher risk of choking, dehydration, malnutrition, or aspiration. To avoid this, medical professionals recommend that they follow a dysphagia diet, and the texture levels in dysphagia diets are based on the thickness of the food or liquid they can safely swallow. This diet minimizes the risks associated with the disease.
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI)
The IDDSI framework was introduced in 2016, providing standards for texture-modified foods and thickened liquids. Medical professionals worldwide use this framework to ensure there is no confusion regarding what a person can safely eat and drink. The system uses the numbers zero to seven to identify the consistencies of foods and drinks. Low numbers correspond with thin consistencies; higher numbers are reserved for more solid foods and beverages.
Liquid Textures
Liquid textures range from level zero to level three. Level zero refers to thin liquids that flow like water. Coffee, juice, milk, and tea are level-one beverages. They require no modification, and medical practitioners consider this the baseline consistency.
Level-one beverages are slightly thicker, but one can still drink them through a straw. Fruit nectars have this consistency, and a person might use a commercial thickening agent to make level-one beverages safe to drink. They require little effort to swallow.
Level -two liquids are mildly thick. A person might drink them with a straw, but it takes more effort. They flow off a spoon in a steady stream. Tomato juice is an excellent example of a level-two liquid.
Level-three liquids are moderately thick and have the same consistency as honey. A person cannot drink them with a standard straw. They are usually consumed with a spoon or a wide-bore straw and flow off a spoon in dollops.
Food Texture Levels
Pureed foods are considered level four under the IDDSI system. These foods don’t need to be chewed because they are smooth and lump-free. People eat them with a spoon, and the texture is uniform to prevent choking. Smooth puddings and yogurts are two types of level-four foods.
Minced and Moist Foods
People don’t need to chew minced and moist foods much. They can be mashed with a fork, but the food particles must be four mm or smaller. They also need to hold together on a spoon. Soft casseroles and ground meat with gravy are two examples of level-five foods.
Level-six foods are soft and bite-sized. People can chew them with their tongues using minimal jaw movements. Food particles must be 15 mm x 15 mm or smaller to be considered level six. The person can mash them between the mouth roof and tongue. Ripe bananas and soft pasta fall into this category.
Regular or level-seven foods have standard textures. The person must chew and swallow them. All textures and consistencies found in regular diets are considered level seven. Individuals with dysphagia often struggle to consume these foods.
Individuals with dysphagia and their caregivers must be aware of the different levels of food and beverages. Doing so ensures the person with this disorder can eat proper meals while reducing the risk of choking, aspiration, and more. Their quality of life will improve.
