"This has no flavor": balancing nutrition, taste, and salt restriction in geriatric care units

Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) has played a fundamental role in human history, not only as a dietary component but also as a cultural, symbolic, and economic resource. Global salt intake remains high and heterogeneous, with marked geographical variation in both consumption levels and dietary sources. Numerous studies have shown significant associations between salt consumption and adverse health outcomes. Hospitals have implemented salt-restriction strategies that may have unintended consequences for food palatability and nutritional intake, particularly among older adults. In geriatric settings, where appetite-related disorders such as dysgeusia, dysphagia, and xerostomia are common, strict dietary sodium restriction may further compromise food consumption and increase the risk of malnutrition. Here, we discuss the potential implications of salt restriction in acute geriatric care, highlighting its possible impact on dietary intake, palatability and nutritional status.