The Governments role in Promoting healthy eating

1. The Governments role in Promoting healthy eating

2. KEY KNOWLEDGE: • ‘The role of Australia’s governments in promoting healthy eating through: • the information provided by nutrition surveys and how it is used • The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults • The role of Australian non government agencies, including Nutrition Australia, in providing dietary advice to promote healthy eating • KEY SKILLS: ‘ • Explain and draw informed conclusions about the role of government and non-government agencies in promoting healthy eating

3. The role of governments in promoting healthy eating • The federal government has established a number of initiatives, besides Medicare and the PBS, in order to improve the health of the population. • Nutrition is an area that requires attention if the level of Australia’s health is to improve. • In Australia, undernutrition and nutritional deficiencies are rare, with cases generally limited to specific population groups (EG: the aged, those with a chronic disease or disability, some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and those suffering from substance or alcohol abuse.

4. The role of governments in promoting healthy eating • It’s OVER consumption – the consumption of more kj’s than is required to meet energy needs – that is the key dietary issue affecting Australians, impacting on their health and risk of disease. • Obesity increases the risk of many chronic conditions including CVD, type 2 diabetes and particular cancers including breast and bowel.

5. The role of governments in promoting healthy eating • Some examples of these government initiatives are listed below:

6. The promotion of healthy eating is important, not just as a response to the national obesity epidemic but also as a measure to ensure optimal health for all Australians and as a preventative measure for future health concerns. The cost of poor food consumptions not only impacts individual health both directly and indirectly but also impacts communities and Australia as a nation. • The cost of health care and days lost off work, the pressure on physical health and risks of obesity all highlight how important the healthy eating message is for all Australians.

7. Nutrition surveys provide a snap shot of what people are eating

8. Nutrition Surveys What do you think Nutrition Surveys entail? • What do you think they look at? • Why do you think they do them?

9. Nutrition Surveys What do you think Nutrition Surveys entail? • What do you think they look at? • Provide a snap shot of what Australians (or population groups in Australia) are eating • Why do you think they do them? • They use this information to guide policy and funding in order to combat certain issues (i.e. obesity and fruit and veg consumption)

10. Surveys • Nutrition surveys provide a snapshot of what Australians (or population groups within Australia) are eating. • This information can then be used to guide policy and funding in order to combat issues such as obesity and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. • Examples of ‘Nutritional Surveys’ conducted in Australia include: • National Nutritional Survey – 1995 • National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey – 2007 • Kids eat, Kids play survey

11. Nutrition surveys • Involve a proportion of the population recording all foods, drinks, supplements consumed in a 24 hr period. • Intake is analyzed for the nutrients, including CHO, protein etc. • This is then compared to recommended intake • Survey participants are also questioned about general food habits • Supplements consumed eg tablets, powders, protein, vitamins • Fruit and veg consumption • Type of milk consumed

12. Salt use • Food security questions, affordability and access • Location of food consumption • Body measurements are recorded in some surveys

13. Nutrition surveys • Can be carried out to: • Allow comparisons with data collected in past and future surveys • Evaluate and guide nutrition promotion • Assist with setting health –related goals and targets to provide a basis for new nutrition guidelines and promotion strategies. • Monitor nutrient intake against the dietary guidelines for Australians

14. Enable government to develop food and nutrition policies • Identify changes in dietary trends • Analyze selected population groups and their food and nutrient consumption • Identify whether nutrition-related goals and targets are being met. • Inform the development and evaluation of national food regulations • eg use of food additives, pesticides • Mandatory fortification of foods

15. Kids eat, Kids playNational children's nutrition and physical activity survey • National survey of Australian children 2007 • Conducted by the CSIRO • 4000 children • Dietary intake and body measurements 2-16 yr olds • And physical activity of 5-16 yr olds • Aims • Compare to data collected in 1995 National nutritional survey • Compare data to national physical activity guidelines • To understand changes to children's eating habits • Monitor performance of health strategies

16. Findings of Kids eat, Kids play • Girls aged 12–16 years appeared to be most at risk of not meeting their dietary requirements for calcium (82–89 per cent did not meet the daily requirement). This is likely to reflect the substantial decline in milk intake through childhood and its replacement with sweetened beverages. • The intake of milk products for 14–16-year-old girls was approximately 30 per cent lower than for 2–3-year-old girls. • Younger children (2–3 years) generally consumed the greatest amount (in grams) of fruit and older children (aged 14–16 years) consumed the least. • A minority of children met the guidelines for limiting saturated fat intake and having a moderate intake of sugar. • The consumption of sodium in all age groups exceeded the recommended level of intake.

17. National Nutritional Survey (NNS) - 1995 • Data was collected about food and beverage consumption over a 24hr period, eating habits, dietary patterns and physical measurements. • From this data, nutrient intake could be established to gauge whether Australians were getting enough key nutrients and identify key areas where population groups were deficient. • Data collected from this survey provides a benchmark for future data collection to gain a better understanding of the health and nutritional status of Australians over time.

18. Nutrition Surveys • Limitations of nutrition surveys • Can have limited use unless combined with other data relating to health issues • Often the data relates to only a 24 hour period; it is not reflective of overall food consumption • Inaccuracies can easily occur through people not reporting information accurately • Don’t take place frequently enough

19. Dietary guidelines • One way that info from nutrition surveys can be used is to develop tools that can assist Australians consuming a healthy diet. • Two examples of these tools are the DIETARY GUIDELINES (DG) and the AUSTRALIAN GUIDE to HEALTHY EATING (AGHE)

20. QuIZ: Are you eAtInG for HeAltH? • Complete quiz

22. The Australian dietary guidelines 2013 • Developed by the national health and medical research council NHMRC (fed Gov.) • General guidelines to help consumers and industry develop healthy eating habits • Three sets of guidelines • Adults • Children • Infants

23. Dietary Guidelines • Why were they created? • Due to an increase in diet related conditions in recent years • The guidelines are designed to address the cause of these illnesses • Too many energy dense foods and not enough fruit and veges • Who are they aimed at • Intended to be used by health professionals etc to promote healthy eating. • All people in the general healthy population, including those with common diet related risk factors such as being overweight • Not for those with serious medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes who require special dietary advice

24. Dietary Guidelines • They provide advice relating to types of food,amounts of food, food groups and dietary patterns to: • Develop healthy lifestyles that will promote health and wellbeing in the community • Reduce the risk of developing range of diet related conditions (hypertension and impaired glucose regulation) • Reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions (type 2 diabetes, CVD, some cancers) • The revised guidelines also provide guidance on how many serves of these food groups individuals need to consume everyday depending on age, gender, body size, physical activity levels

29. The Australian dietary guidelines of Australian Adults • The guidelines recommend that Australian adults enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods: • List the recommendations from your handouts

30. 1 • GUIDELINE 1 To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.Children and adolescents should eat sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally. They should be physically active every day and their growth should be checked regularly. • Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help maintain muscle strength and a healthy weight.

31. 2 • GUIDELINE 2 Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five groups every day:Plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans • Fruit • Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties, such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley • Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans • Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat (reduced fat milks are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years) • And drink plenty of water.

32. 3 • GUIDELINE 3 Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.Limit intake of foods high in saturated fat such as many biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks. • Replace high fat foods which contain predominantly saturated fats such as butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut and palm oil with foods which contain predominantly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado. • Low fat diets are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years. • Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added salt. • Read labels to choose lower sodium options among similar foods. • Do not add salt to foods in cooking or at the table. • Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as confectionery, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks. • If you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake. For women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

33. 4 & 5 • GUIDELINE 4 Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding. • GUIDELINE 5 Care for your food; prepare and store it safely.

36. Recommended Serves per day • As well as general advice the dietary guidelines recommend the number of serves per day for age group and sex. (guideline 2) • Task: • Read pages 277 -280 • List the recommended serves per day for you of each of the five food groups. • Provide an example serving size for each group.

37. THE AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING

38. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating • What is it? • A food selection model that shows the approximate proportions of foods that should be consumed from the 5 food groups • It is based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines • The guidelines are based on 5 core food groups • Grain (cereals) foods mostly wholegrain and / or high cereal fibre varities • Vegetables, Legumes/ beans • Fruit • Milk, Yoghurt, Cheese and / or alternatives, mostly reduced fat • Lean Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs, Nuts, tofu, and seeds Legumes/ beans

39. The Australian guide to healthy eating • In addition to the visual guide there are some recommendations to increase the chance of users eating a balanced diet • Eat enough foods from each of the five food groups every day • Choose different varieties of foods from within each of the five food groups from day to day, week to week, and through different times of the year • Eat plenty of plant foods (breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, vegetables, and fruit) Eat moderate amounts of animal foods (milk, yoghurt, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, eggs) Eat small amounts of extra foods, margarines and oils • Drink plenty of water

40. The AGHE vs DGA • The AGHE and the DGA are both government sets of guidelines. AGHE: • Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) • Framework for understanding the relationship between food and nutrition • More pictorial in the shape of the plate therefore easier to understand • Based on the five food groups DGA: • Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) • Three editions; adults, children and infants • Relates diet to disease (rather than nutrition like the AGHE) in an attempt to reduce morbidity and mortality levels • These are guidelines only not  a pictorial representation • They are written info that also encourages physical activity, maintenance of a healthy weight, food safety and breastfeeding.