Adapting food consistencies may be needed for many patients until improvement of swallowing has been reached.
In 2002 the American Dietetic Association proposed the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD):
NDD Level 1: Dysphagia-Pureed (homogenous, very cohesive, pudding-like, requiring very little chewing ability).
NDD Level 2: Dysphagia-Mechanical Altered (cohesive, moist, semisolid foods, requiring some chewing).
NDD Level 3: Dysphagia-Advanced (soft foods that require more chewing ability).
Regular (all foods allowed).
The proposed terms for liquids are:
1. Thin 1-50 centiPoise (cP)
2. Nectar-like 51-350 cP
3. Honey-like 351-1,750 cP
4. Spoon-thick >1,750 cP
Click here for a comment by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Click here for an overview of resources about dysphagia diets by ASHA.
In 2012 International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) was initiated. Click here for the article artikel.