Follow Your SwallowThe IDDSI framework
There are eight IDDSI levels. Drinks use Levels 0 to 4, foods use Levels 3 to 7, and the two scales overlap in the middle. Each one below opens a full page with the official descriptors, example foods, and the test that confirms it.
All eight levels on one page: what each is called, whether it applies to drinks or foods, the older US name where there was one, and the test that confirms it.
| Level | Name | Used for | Older US name | How to check it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Thin | Drinks | — | Syringe flow test: 1 mL or less left after 10 seconds |
| 1 | Slightly Thick | Drinks | — | Syringe flow test: 1 to 4 mL left |
| 2 | Mildly Thick | Drinks | Nectar thick | Syringe flow test: 4 to 8 mL left |
| 3 | Moderately Thick / Liquidised | Drinks + Foods | Honey thick | Syringe flow test: more than 8 mL left, some flows. Drips through a fork |
| 4 | Extremely Thick / Pureed | Drinks + Foods | — | Fork drip test and spoon tilt test. Holds its shape, no lumps |
| 5 | Minced & Moist | Foods | — | Fork pressure test. Soft lumps about 4 mm, no liquid leaking |
| 6 | Soft & Bite-Sized | Foods | — | Fork pressure test. Pieces no bigger than 1.5 cm for adults |
| 7 | Easy to Chew / Regular | Foods | — | Easy to Chew: breaks apart with the side of a fork or spoon |
Drinks use Levels 0 to 4 and foods use Levels 3 to 7, so Levels 3 and 4 have a drink name and a food name. Level 7 has two forms, Easy to Chew and Regular. Products vary by batch, so test what you serve. Your speech-language pathologist prescribes the level; this chart explains it.
Need just the chart? Open the printable chart page or download it as a PDF from there.
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There are eight, numbered 0 to 7: Level 0 Thin, Level 1 Slightly Thick, Level 2 Mildly Thick, Level 3 Moderately Thick (drinks) or Liquidised (foods), Level 4 Extremely Thick (drinks) or Pureed (foods), Level 5 Minced & Moist, Level 6 Soft & Bite-Sized, and Level 7 Easy to Chew or Regular. Drinks use Levels 0 to 4 and foods use Levels 3 to 7, so the two scales overlap in the middle.
An IDDSI diet is a clinician-directed way to describe the texture of foods and thickness of drinks for a person with chewing or swallowing difficulty. It uses eight levels, numbered 0 through 7. It is not one fixed menu.
Drinks use Levels 0 through 4, from Thin to Extremely Thick. Foods use Levels 3 through 7, from Liquidised to Regular, with Level 7 also including Easy to Chew guidance.
A qualified clinician or care team chooses the appropriate food and drink levels for a person after assessment. The food or drink should then be tested as it will actually be served.
Not sure of your level? Don’t guess. Your speech-language pathologist prescribes it after a swallowing evaluation. Bring these pages to your next visit.