- Not being able to smell spoiled food, gas, or smoke.
- In adults 70 years and older, 31% were unable to smell natural gas and 20% were unable to smell the warning odor smoke.

Dangers associated with olfactory dysfunction

- Smell is important for promoting appetite and the perception of flavor when consuming food. 
- From a survey of 496 people conducted by Fifth Sense, 92% reported lower appreciation of food and drink.
- Changes in eating behavior can vary from person to person, depending on how their olfactory dysfunction affects their relationship with food. Individuals can either gain weight by finding non-olfactory sensations for food enjoyment, or they can lose weight by losing interest in food. 

Eating behavior and olfaction

Some patients with olfactory dysfunction have reported overcompensating their hygiene by showering multiple times a day or using excessive amounts of perfumes or aftershave. This also affects patients’ relationships with partners and family members. 

Personal hygiene and olfaction

Some of the challenges people with olfactory dysfunction face: 
- cooking
- decreased appetite
- maintaining personal hygiene
- feeling less safe
- lack of enjoyment with food

Ohio State University, Columbus

This is a condition in which a person lacks the ability to smell. It is also sometimes referred to as odor blindness. 

Anosmia

Boesveldt, S., Postma, E.M., Boak, D., Welge-Luessen, A., Schöpf, V., Mainland, J.D., Ngai, J., & Duffy, V.B. (2017). Anosmia - A Clinical Review. Chemical Senses, 42 (7), 513-523. http://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjx025

Anosmia - A Clinical Review

Anosmia library

Types of olfactory dysfunction 

Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction is difficult to measure, because olfactory testing is not part of general health exams. Therefore, clinicians often rely on their patients to self-report olfactory dysfunction in order to better estimate prevalence. 

Learn Before

Related

Learn After