Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
List B: English Abstracts of Master Student Theses in Jordan in
Human Nutrition until December,2010.
1. A Study on Food Acceptability and Plate Waste of a Sample of Diabetic
Patients in Two Main Hospitals in Amman (1990)
Tareg Al-Farah\ University of Jordan
Supervisor: Dr. Salma Tukan
This study was conducted in 1989 to find out the food acceptability by a sample
of diabetic in-patients in two major hospitals in Amman, one is a public hospital -the
Hussien Hospital in King Hussien Medical Center, and the other is a private one -the
Islamic Hospital. The study also aimed at estimating the amount of plate waste by
patients included in this study and finding out the reasons related to food services,
which were responsible for this waste.
The total sample consisted of 186 patients who were randomly selected: 130
from public hospital and 56 from the private one. The male patients comprised 53% of
the total sample.
The majority of patients included in this study expressed their satisfaction
regarding the period of time given to them to eat their meals. They also expressed their
satisfaction with the way of service and food hygiene. The majority of patients in the
private hospital reported that the service tray, the cutlery, the flavor of food, the type
of food and the general appearance of the served meals, were good.
The results of the study show significant differences (P < .05) in the opinions of
patients of the two hospitals with respect to the amount, variety, quality of preparation,
flavor and temperature of food, the provision of appropriate cutlery and the way meals
were served.
Plate waste for the daily three meals was estimated and was expressed in terms of
calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat.
The mean daily calories offered to the patient in the private hospital was 1831
±114, in the public hospital was 1803 + 69. The mean percentage of wasted calories
was about 28% and 29% respectively.Plate waste was lowest at breakfast and was
highest at supper in the private hospital and lunch at the public hospital.
For all patients’ variables such as age, sex, receiving food from outside hospital,
class and period of residence, were found to have a significant (P< .05) effect on the
amount of plate waste, where as patient weight, level of education and place of
residence did not significantly influence plate waste.
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According to patients opinions the reasons, that were responsible for more than
two third of the loss in calories include : The large amount of food served, the
unacceptability of patient for hospital food, the lack of appetite, receiving food from
Volume
135
11, No. 25, 2011