Australia’s New Nutritional Pie

Australia’s New Nutritional Pie

If current obesity trends continue, an estimated 75% of Australian females and 85% of Australian males will be obese by 2025 – just 12 years from now! With this in mind, the newly released Australian Dietary Guidelines have been updated from the 2003 edition.

10 years in the making, huge amounts of time and research have been invested in finding the best way to make the guidelines simple to follow, with the aim to reduce the ever growing rise in obesity.

Some of the main points raised in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating are:
– Reduce energy intake to maintain a healthy body weight
– Reduce overall fat intake
– Reduce added sugar
– Increase fruits and vegetables
– Focus on whole foods vs processed foods
– Drink more water
– Eat dairy or alternatives for calcium
– Exercise more

The old food pyramid has been replaced with a pie-chart diagram illustrating portions of the major food groups on a plate that we should be eating most, and off the plate are foods that fall into the “sometimes” category.

The written guidelines provide clear, specific advice relating to different life stages including children under 4 and adolescence, which is extremely helpful to parents and others working with young people. There are also guidelines tailored specifically towards older adults. The guide now recognises the changes needed to be made as we age – with the hope it will assist our aging population in remaining healthy and more physically independent for longer.

The focus is on types of food rather than nutrients, which makes the guide easy to follow, as it simply explains how many servings of food you should consume, rather than how much macronutrients and vitamins are required.

There is a big emphasis on whole foods instead of processed foods too. The guide lists sample daily meal plans for a typical male and female, to help put the guidelines into a real-life practical format that is easy to follow.

There has been a reduction in the recommended overall intake of grains with more of an emphasis placed on whole grain and other high fibre options from this group. There has been a proportional increase in the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables. There is also a focus on reducing our overall fat intake, while still maintaining a healthy intake of “good fats”.

The new guidelines are great for those of us in the health and fitness industry. They provide clear and simple advice that can be passed onto clients. It also helps us to simplify all the information that is out there. I’m so happy they have recommended an increase in physical activity – it is great news for fitness professionals like me who are passionate about the health and well-being of others.
For more information check out the guidelines at www.eatforhealth.gov.au

Posted On 11/03/13
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