Australian Guide To Healthy Eating Research Articles

Developing and implementing a new methodology to test the affordability of currently popular weight loss diet meal plans and healthy eating principles

BackgroundWeight loss diets continue to rise in popularity; however, the associated costs are seldom reported. Certain weight loss diets may be unaffordable and differ from their traditional nutrition composition to include non-conventional premium products. In contrast, healthy eating principles such as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) place an emphasis on fresh produce and staple foods but are sometimes thought to be unaffordable. A new methodology was piloted to assess the cost of weight loss diets using seven meal plans.MethodsSeven meal plans were analysed to quantify the absolute grams required of all ingredients across seven days and multiplied by the cost of the ingredient per gram to determine the total cost of each ingredient based on unit size and price. The weekly grocery shopping cost was determined through summation of all ingredients and their entire unit size to compare weekly costs.ResultsWeekly meal plans (absolute grams) cost between $93-193AUD. The AGHE meal plan was the least expensive and 8 Weeks to Wow was the most expensive. Weekly grocery shopping of entire units cost between $345-$625AUD, over $100AUD greater than the spending of an average Australian ($237AUD/week).ConclusionsThe financial feasibility for long-term sustainment of weight loss diets may be questionable for groups including low-income earners and low socioeconomic status. Further, when dietary patterns are adapted for weight loss, or followed by consumers, deviations from foundational principles tend to occur which may influence overall cost.

Pregnant Women Have Poor Carbohydrate Knowledge and Do Not Receive Adequate Nutrition Education.

In order to manage blood glucose levels in pregnancy, women need to know what and how much to eat, particularly for foods containing carbohydrate. The aim was to assess pregnant women's carbohydrate and standard serve size knowledge and examine whether health professionals provided nutrition education. Between July 2017 and April 2018 Australian pregnant women were recruited to complete an online survey, including a modified PedCarbQuiz carbohydrate knowledge questionnaire and an online buffet, where they selected images equivalent to one Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) standard serve size. 186 pregnant women (mean age 30.9years, SD = 4.7years) 12-22weeks gestation completed the survey. Participants achieved a median score of 27/36 for identification of carbohydrate-containing foods and a median score of 1/12 (range 0-11) for identification of grams of carbohydrate in specific portions. Participants achieved a median score of 14/22 (range 4-19) for identification of one AGHE standard serve of 11 carbohydrate-containing foods. Less than half (n = 92, 49.5%) received nutrition education from health professionals. Pregnant women had sub-optimal carbohydrate knowledge. This could contribute to impaired blood glucose concentrations and risk of adverse health outcomes in pregnancy. Opportunities for pregnant women to access nutrition advice from health professionals should be explored.

The nutritional quality of supermarket own brand chilled convenience foods: an Australian cross-sectional study reveals limitations of the Health Star Rating.

To assess the nutritional quality of Australian supermarket own brand chilled convenience foods (SOBCCF), for example, ready meals, pizza, pies and desserts. Cross-sectional. Two large supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) in Perth, Western Australia were audited in February 2017. Data were extracted from photographic images of 291 SOBCCF, including front-of-pack information (i.e. product name, description and nutrition labels including Health Star Rating (HSR)) and back-of-pack information (i.e. nutrition information panel and ingredients list). SOBCCF were classified as healthy or unhealthy consistent with principles of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE), NOVA classification of level of food processing and HSR score. Fifty-four percentage of SOBCCF were classified as unhealthy according to AGTHE principles, 94 % were ultra-processed foods using NOVA and 81 % scored a HSR of ≥2·5, implying that they were a healthy choice. Some convenience food groups comprised more healthy choices overall including prepared vegetables, salad kits and bowls, soups and vegetarian food. A significantly larger proportion of SOBCCF from Coles were classified as unhealthy compared with Woolworths (70 v. 44 %, P < 0·05) using the AGTHE. The findings suggest there is potential for Australian supermarkets to improve the nutritional quality of their SOBCCF and highlights the differences between supermarkets in applying their corporate social responsibility policies. Policies to assist consumers to select healthier foods should address difficulties in identifying healthy convenience foods. The findings reveal misclassification of unhealthy SOBCCF as healthy by the HSR suggesting that its algorithm should be reformed to align with recommendations of the AGTHE.

Food for thought: Exploring associations between knowledge of the Healthy Living Pyramid, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and food group intake among Western Australian adolescents

Evidence indicates adolescents do not comply with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE)-recommended daily serves (RDS). Little research has identified their level of knowledge regarding the guidelines and associations with food intake. Survey methodology was used to measure knowledge of the Healthy Living Pyramid (HLP) and the AGHE-RDS. Food group intake was measured using a modified food frequency questionnaire. A generalised linear model (GLM) investigated the associations between the HLP, RDS knowledge and daily equivalent frequencies (DEFs) for each food group. The study comprised 190 students aged 14-15years. The majority reported accurate knowledge of the HLP. Only fruit and vegetable RDS was correctly identified. Participants did not meet DEFs for any food group. For both DEF grains (P=0.004) and vegetables (P=0.023) participants with correct knowledge reported a DEF closer to the RDS. For DEF-baked goods and snacks (P=0.012), participants reporting correct knowledge also reported DEF closer to the RDS. No associations were identified for the other food groups. SO WHAT?: Knowledge of the HLP was more accurate than the AGHE-RDS. Knowledge of fruit and vegetable RDS was better than the other food groups. The positive associations between knowledge and compliance with the RDS suggest knowledge can influence food choice. However, the lack of associations between knowledge and consumption for most food groups suggests clear "do" messages, similar to Go for 2&5, about the RDS for all food groups should be developed for adolescents.

A Paleolithic diet lowers resistant starch intake but does not affect serum trimethylamine-N-oxide concentrations in healthy women.

The Paleolithic diet excludes two major sources of fibre, grains and legumes. However, it is not known whether this results in changes to resistant starch (RS) consumption. Serum trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is produced mainly from colonic fermentation and hepatic conversion of animal protein and is implicated in CVD, but changes in RS intake may alter concentrations. We aimed to determine whether intake of RS and serum concentrations of TMAO varied in response to either the Paleolithic or the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) diets and whether this was related to changes in food group consumption. A total of thirty-nine women (mean age 47 (sd 13) years, BMI 27 (sd 4) kg/m2) were randomised to AGHE (n 17) or Paleolithic diets (n 22) for 4 weeks. Serum TMAO concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-MS; food groups, fibre and RS intake were estimated from weighed food records. The change in TMAO concentrations between groups (Paleolithic 3·39 μm v. AGHE 1·19 μm, P = 0·654) did not reach significance despite greater red meat and egg consumption in the Paleolithic group (0·65 serves/d; 95 % CI 0·2, 1·1; P &lt;0·01, and 0·22 serves/d; 95 % CI 0·1, 0·4, P &lt;0·05, respectively). RS intake was significantly lower on the Paleolithic diet (P &lt;0·01) and was not associated with TMAO concentrations. However, the limited data for RS and the small sample size may have influenced these findings. While there were no significant changes in TMAO concentrations, increased meat consumption and reduced RS intake warrant further research to examine the markers of gastrointestinal health of Paleolithic diet followers and to update Australian food databases to include additional fibre components.

Dietary intake and food sources of one-carbon metabolism nutrients in preschool aged children

Background:It is hypothesised that epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation may underlie the relationship between early-life nutrition and child cognitive outcomes. This study aimed to identify dietary patterns associated with the intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients in children aged 2–3 years.Methods:A validated 120-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires at 2–3 years of age were used to estimate the intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients (methionine, folate, choline and vitamins B2, B6, B12) and to quantify mean number of serves consumed of the food groups specified by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the contribution of each food group and food items to the total intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients. Linear regression was used to test for linear trends in food group servings by nutrient intake quintiles.Results:No child (n = 60) from the Women And Their Children’s Health (WATCH) study consumed the recommended number of serves for all AGHE food groups. Dairy and alternatives (18–44%), discretionary foods (6–33%) and meat and alternatives (6–31%) were the main sources of most one-carbon metabolism nutrients. Most child intakes of one-carbon metabolism nutrients exceeded the nutrient reference values (NRVs), except for the intake of choline, for which the mean intake was 9% below the adequate intake (AI).Conclusion:Dairy and alternatives, discretionary foods and meat and alternatives food groups contributed significantly to the children’s intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients. The children generally had low intakes of meat and alternative foods, which may explain their inadequate intake of choline.

Alignment of Supermarket Own Brand Foods' Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling with Measures of Nutritional Quality: An Australian Perspective.

Two voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labels (FOPNL) are present in Australia: the government-led Health Star Ratings (HSR) and food industry-led Daily Intake Guide (DIG). Australia’s two largest supermarkets are key supporters of HSR, pledging uptake on all supermarket own brand foods (SOBF). This study aimed to examine prevalence of FOPNL on SOBF, and alignment with patterns of nutritional quality. Photographic audits of all SOBF present in three large supermarkets were conducted in Perth, Western Australia, in 2017. Foods were classified as nutritious or nutrient-poor based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE), NOVA level of food processing, and HSR score. Most (81.5%) SOBF featured FOPNL, with only 55.1% displaying HSR. HSR was present on 69.2% of Coles, 54.0% of Woolworths, and none of IGA SOBF. Half (51.3%) of SOBF were classified as nutritious using the AGTHE, but using NOVA, 56.9% were ultra-processed foods. Nutrient-poor and ultra-processed SOBF were more likely than nutritious foods to include HSR, yet many of these foods achieved HSR scores of 2.5 stars or above, implying they were a healthy choice. Supermarkets have a powerful position in the Australian food system, and they could do more to support healthy food selection through responsible FOPNL.

Do the contemporary dietary patterns of children align with national food and nutrient recommendations?

Childhood nutrition is important in optimising growth, development and future health. The present study compared dietary intakes of Australian children aged 4-8 years with (i) Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) food group recommendations and (ii) age-specific Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs), in addition to (iii) describing food group intakes of children meeting key NRVs. Data were obtained from a representative sample of children (n = 789) from the National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey between May 2011 and June 2012. Parent-reported 24-h recall dietary data were disaggregated into five core food groups, along with energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods, with intakes being compared with AGHE recommendations. Food group intakes were compared for children meeting the NRVs for 10 nutrients used for the development of AGHE food groups. Chi-squared and t-tests were performed to determine differences in food group intakes with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Only one child met the recommended daily servings for all AGHE core food groups and none met both core and energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) food group recommendations. The lowest level of alignment (percentage meeting recommendations) was for vegetables (4.6%) and the highest was for fruit (47.7%). Mean (SD) daily intake of EDNP foods [4.7 (3.2) serves day-1 ] accounted for 38.4% of total energy intakes. Children meeting key NRVs (n = 395) consumed greater daily servings of fruit [2.2 (1.7)], dairy [2.2 (1.2)] and EDNP foods [5.0 (3.4)] compared to the total sample (n = 789). Significant discrepancies exist between contemporary dietary patterns of Australian children and national recommendations. Future AGHE revisions should incorporate greater diversity of consumption patterns, including sub-categories of EDNP foods.

Effect of individual dietetic intervention on gestational weight gain and associated complications in obese pregnant women.

Maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are prevalent in Australia and associated with an increased risk of birth complications, gestational diabetes and caesarean delivery. To assess the effect of a pilot dietetic intervention in supporting the achievement of appropriate GWG. Pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)≥35kg/m2 (n=174, mean BMI 40.6±4.3kg/m2 ) were referred for individual assessment and dietary counselling conducted by a dietitian with subsequent reviews. Education was based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE), encouraged nutritional adequacy and promoted GWG in line with current Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. The intervention was associated with a significant reduction (P=0.00) in gestational weight gain (3.57±5.37kg) when compared to previous pregnancies (14.31±11.23kg). Women who attended three or more appointments gained significantly less weight compared with those who attended the initial assessment only (P<0.05). Rates of caesarean delivery and macrosomia were lower among participants compared to obese populations in comparable studies. Dietetic intervention in obese pregnant women can assist in achieving and limiting gestational weight gain to within current IOM guidelines and reduced rates of gestational diabetes and caesarean section.

BREAKFAST AND CLASSROOM BEHAVIOUR: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF GRADE 3 STUDENTS IN A BILINGUAL DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL, IN THAILAND

This study investigated what students consumed for breakfast and their behaviours within the classroom. It attempted to determine whether there is a relationship with inappropriate, off-task or non-compliant behaviour of students and what they had consumed that morning. Recent literature suggests there is. This was observed using a time sampling, coding system. Breakfast Consumption was recorded by a self-completion questionnaire, using the Australian guide to healthy eating (AGHE) as a dietary guide. Correlational analysis was used to determine the relationship between breakfasts and behaviour, and ANOVA (analysis of variance) was used to determine if any significant relationships existed between each behaviour type and diet. The subjects were 23 Grade 3 students (19 boys, 4 girls) of a university affiliated bilingual school in Thailand. The coding of behaviour was done by trained professional observers using Revised Edition of School Observational Coding System (REDSOCS). The modified dietary recall questionnaire was administered at school over a period of 2 weeks. Upon reanalysis of the data there appeared to be a link between an unhealthy diet and off-task and non-compliant behaviours. However these data were not statistically significant. This study suggests that what is consumed in the morning may not have an important affect on students’ classroom behaviour. It is also possible that culture and socio economic factors may have obscured any effects. It is recommended that further research be done to see if these present findings would hold for more varied populations and other types of Thai schools. Keywords: Classroom Behavior, Breakfast Consumption

The influence of front‐of‐pack nutrition information on consumers’ portion size perceptions

Issue addressed Portion size guidance strategies have been suggested as an important component of weight management; therefore, the Health Star Rating (HSR) front-of-pack labels could influence consumers' portion-size decisions. However, this has not been investigated to date. This study aims to evaluate whether presenting energy content information and HSRs influences portion size self-selection of specific foods and meals. Methods Adults were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups in this randomised controlled experiment. Each participant was given either a kJ/100g food label or a HSR label, or was given no information on nutrient composition. They were then asked to serve themselves an adequate portion of breakfast cereal (Kellogg's Nutri-Grain), fruit salad and chocolate, plus a three-component meal (chicken, fries and mixed vegetables). Portion serves and meal weights were compared between each experimental group using ANOVA and the discretionary foods were also compared with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE). Results Neither the kilojoule nor HSR information influenced the self-served portion size of foods or meal components. Mean self-served portion size of the discretionary foods were significantly greater than the standard serving sizes as specified in the AGHE. Conclusion Although food labels have the potential to assist consumers in making product choices, this study indicates that presenting nutrition information does not affect portion size decisions in young adults. So what? Strategies that assist consumers to choose appropriate portion sizes should be developed as a weight management tool.

Compliance, Palatability and Feasibility of PALEOLITHIC and Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Diets in Healthy Women: A 4-Week Dietary Intervention

(1) Background/Objectives: The Paleolithic diet has been receiving media coverage in Australia and claims to improve overall health. The diet removes grains and dairy, whilst encouraging consumption of fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and nuts. Our aim was to compare the diet to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) in terms of compliance, palatability and feasibility; (2) Subjects/Methods: 39 healthy women (age 47 ± 13 years, BMI 27 ± 4 kg/m2) were randomised to an ad-libitum Paleolithic (n = 22) or AGHE diet (n = 17) for 4-weeks. A food checklist was completed daily, with mean discretionary consumption (serves/day) calculated to assess compliance. A 12-item questionnaire was administered post intervention to assess palatability and feasibility; (3) Results: The AGHE group reported greater daily consumption of discretionary items (1.0 + 0.6 vs. 0.57 + 0.6 serves/day, p = 0.03). Compared to the AGHE group, the Paleolithic group reported a significantly greater number of events of diarrhoea (23%, 0%, p = 0.046), costs associated with grocery shopping (69%, 6% p < 0.01) and belief that the diet was not healthy (43%, 0% p < 0.01); (4) Conclusions: Compliance to both diets was high but the potential side effects and increased cost suggest that the Paleolithic diet may not be practical in clinical/public health settings. Further studies are required to assess longer term feasibility.

Exploring Australian women's level of nutrition knowledge during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThe Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) for pregnancy provides a number of food- and nutrition-related recommendations to assist pregnant women in optimizing their dietary behavior. However, there are limited data demonstrating pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE recommendations. This study investigated Australian pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE and related dietary recommendations for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. The variations in nutrition knowledge were compared with demographic characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional study assessed eight different nutrition knowledge domains and the demographic characteristics of pregnant women. Four hundred women across Australia completed a multidimensional online survey based on validated and existing measures.ResultsMore than half of the pregnant women surveyed (65%) were not familiar with the AGHE recommendations. The basic recommendations to eat more fruit, vegetables, bread, and cereals but less meat were poorly understood. An in-depth investigation of knowledge of nutrition information revealed misconceptions in a range of areas, including standard serving size, nutrients content of certain foods, energy density of fat, and the importance of key nutrients in pregnancy. Univariate analysis revealed significant demographic variation in nutrition knowledge scores. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the significant independent effects on respondents’ nutrition knowledge score (P<0.000) of the education level, income, age, stage of pregnancy, language, and having a health/nutrition qualification. The model indicated that independent variables explained 33% (adjusted R2) of the variance found between respondents’ knowledge scores.ConclusionAustralian pregnant women’s knowledge regarding AGHE for pregnancy and other key dietary recommendations is poor and varies significantly with their demographic profile. The setting of dietary guidelines is not sufficient to ensure improvement in their nutrition knowledge. It is essential that women receive support to achieve optimal and healthy diets during pregnancy.

Disparities exist between the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the dietary intakes of young children aged two to three years

AbstractAimTo compare dietary intakes of young children to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs).MethodsDietary intakes of 54 children (50% girls) aged two to three years (mean 2.7 years) from the Women and Their Children's Health (WATCH) study were reported by mothers using a validated 120‐item food frequency questionnaire. Daily consumption of AGHE food group servings, macronutrients, and micronutrients were compared to the AGHE and NRVs using t‐test with significance set at P &lt; 0.05.ResultsNo child achieved all AGHE targets, with the majority consuming less breads/cereals (1.9 vs 4.0 servings/day), vegetables (1.3 vs 2.5), and meat/alternatives (0.7 vs 1.0), all P &lt; 0.0001. Adequate servings were observed for dairy (2.2 vs 1.5) and fruit (1.3 vs 1.0). Macronutrients were within recommended ranges, although 96% exceeded saturated fatty acid recommendations. Children who met selected NRVs consumed more fruit (1.4 vs 1.0; P &lt; 0.0086), dairy (2.2 vs 1.5; P &lt; 0.0001) and discretionary foods (2.6 vs ≤1.0; P &lt; 0.0001) but less breads/cereals (2.0 vs 4.0; P &lt; 0.0001) and vegetables (1.3 vs 2.5; P &lt; 0.0001) servings, compared to the AGHE recommended servings.ConclusionsChild dietary intakes did not align with AGHE, while adequate nutrient profiles were achieved by various dietary patterns. Future studies involving data from larger, representative samples of children are warranted.

How big is a food portion? A pilot study in Australian families.

It is not known whether individuals can accurately estimate the portion size of foods usually consumed relative to standard serving sizes in national food selection guides. The aim of the present cross-sectional pilot study was to quantify what adults and children deem a typical portion for a variety of foods and compare these with the serving sizes specified in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE). Adults and children were independently asked to serve out their typical portion of 10 common foods (rice, pasta, breakfast cereal, chocolate, confectionary, ice cream, meat, vegetables, soft drink and milk). They were also asked to serve what they perceived a small, medium and large portion of each food to be. Each portion was weighed and recorded by an assessor and compared with the standard AGHE serving sizes. Twenty-one individuals (nine mothers, one father, 11 children) participated in the study. There was a large degree of variability in portion sizes measured out by both parents and children, with means exceeding the standard AGHE serving size for all items, except for soft drink and milk, where mean portion sizes were less than the AGHE serving size. The greatest mean overestimations were for pasta (155%; mean 116 g; range 94-139 g) and chocolate (151%; mean 38 g; range 25-50 g), each of which represented approximately 1.5 standard AGHE servings. The findings of the present study indicate that there is variability between parents' and children's estimation of typical portion sizes compared with national recommendations. SO WHAT? Dietary interventions to improve individuals' dietary patterns should target education regarding portion size.

Macro and micronutrient differences of AD—libitum palaeolithic vs Australian guide to healthy eating diets

s / Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism 1 (2014) 1e55 26 out/in social situations, higher emotional eating, and lower knowledge regarding the effect of diet on health (all p < 0.001; consistent across subgroups). Conclusions: Diet and nutrition education present an important target for primary care of people with SMI. Targeting at-risk populations also presents an opportunity for prevention. Although research has identified the contribution of individual nutrients to mental health, further research needs to elucidate the role of whole diet and nutrition and mental illness. Funding source(s): N/A. MACRO AND MICRONUTRIENT DIFFERENCES OF ADdLIBITUM PALAEOLITHIC VS AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING DIETS A. Genoni , A. Devine , J. Lo , P. Lyons-Wall . 1 School of Exercise and Health Sciences, Perth, WA, Australia; 2 School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia E-mail: agenoni@our.ecu.edu.au (A. Genoni) Background/Aims: To investigate the differences in the macronutrient composition between the palaeolithic and AGHE Diet. Methods: Thirty nine healthy women (mean ± SD age 47 ± 13 years, BMI 27 ± 4 kg/m2) were randomised to either the palaeolithic (n1⁄4 22) or AGHE diet (n 1⁄4 17) for 4-weeks. A 3-day weighed food record (WFR) was collected preand post-intervention. WFR were analysed using FoodWorks (AUSNUT2007, Xyris Software, QLD, 2012). Within group analysis was performed using paired t-tests, between group analysis was conducted using Mann-Whitney and independent t-tests. Results: The palaeolithic group had a lower intake of carbohydrate (28 ± 8% vs 41 ± 9% of energy, p < 0.05), and higher intake of fat (40 ± 10% vs 33 ± 7%, p < 0.05) and protein (27 ± 7% vs 22 ± 6%, p < 0.05) compared to AGHE. Within group analyses showed reductions in saturated fat intake in both groups (p < 0.05) but no change to dietary fibre or total sugars. Within the palaeolithic group, there were significant reductions in energy, thiamin, riboflavin, sodium and calcium and increases in vitamins C, E and bcarotene (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite the reduction in carbohydrates due to the removal of whole grain cereals and dairy, fibre intake was not impacted in the palaeolithic group. However, significant reductions in B vitamins and calcium were seen. Further research to explore the health implications related to long-term palaeolithic dietary patterns are recommended. Funding source(s): N/A. LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF VERY LOWAND HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE WEIGHT LOSS DIETS ON MOOD RESPONSE IN OBESE ADULTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES G.D. Brinkworth , N.D. Luscombe-Marsh , C.H. Thompson , M. Noakes , J.D. Buckley , G. Wittert , C.J. Wilson . CSIRO Food and Nutrition, SA, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of South Australia, SA, Australia; Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia, SA, Australia; 4 School of Medicine, Flinders University,

Inclusion of pork meat in the diets of young women reduces their intakes of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods: results from a randomized controlled trial.

Adherence of young women to dietary recommendations has been examined predominantly by surveys. This study aimed to determine the quality of women’s diets relative to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE); and to evaluate dietary changes during an intervention trial with pork meat or an iron supplement. A 12-week randomized trial was conducted in young women who were assigned to one of three groups. They maintained three, seven-day food diaries while continuing their routine diet (CG); taking an iron supplement (SG); or incorporating into their diets 500 g/week of pork (PG). Participants (n = 58) provided dietary information on 1218 diary-days. The serves consumed from the vegetable, fruit and dairy groups were lower (p < 0.001), and from the meat and alternatives group greater (p < 0.001) than the recommended serves. PG consumed significantly fewer (p < 0.001) serves of “extra” foods, and ate fruit more frequently (p < 0.001) than CG and SG. The participants’ dietary self-assessment showed poor agreement with the AGHE description of “serve”. The inclusion of pork in the diets of young women is associated with the reduced consumption of energy-dense nutrient-poor “extra” foods and increased frequency of fruit intake. The effect may be explained by diverse factors such as increased food knowledge, cooking skills and the effect of pork on satiety.

Dietary patterns of adolescent girls attending schools in low‐income communities highlight low consumption of core foods

AbstractAimOverweight and obesity prevalence is high among adolescent girls of low socioeconomic position and this increases their risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders in adulthood. The aim of this present study was to describe the dietary patterns of adolescent girls in terms of the relative contribution of core food groups to overall diet and by weight status category.MethodsYear 8 female students were recruited from schools in low‐income communities. Weight status (i.e. underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese) was determined using age‐ and sex‐adjusted body mass index (BMI; z score). Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Individual foods were collated into core food group or energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor categories in line with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and the percentage contribution to total energy intake calculated.ResultsParticipants (n = 332) were (mean ± SD) 13.7 ± 0.4 years old with BMI z score 0.63 ± 1.22. Few girls met AGHE core food group recommendations for daily serves; meat and substitutes 69.3%, vegetables 28.6%, fruit 23.8%, dairy 15.7% and breads/cereals 5.7%. Total percentage energy derived from energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods was 46.6% (37.2–54.6%) (median (interquartile range)), with takeaways 9.8% (7.0–13.6%), confectionery 7.0% (4.1–10.9%) and packaged snacks 6.8% (4.0–10.7%), with no significant differences by weight status.ConclusionsCore food intakes are poor with excessive consumption of energy‐dense, nutrient‐poor foods in these adolescent girls. Nutrition education programs targeting this population are needed to address this imbalance. Strategies could include substitution of unhealthy snacks for core food items and greater inclusion of core foods within main meals.

Incorporating macadamia oil and butter to reduce dietary omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake

AbstractAim: Claims have been made that the level of omega‐6 fats in the diet is too high and that this cannot be reduced without increasing the saturated fat intake. The aim of this study was to design a diet within the framework of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) which would supply &lt;2% energy (% E) from the omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), linoleic acid, compared with the 4–5% E in the current Australian diet.Methods: Separate seven‐day diet plans were designed using FoodWorks (version 2009) for males (10 000 kJ)/day) and females (8000 kJ/day). The reduction in dietary omega‐6 PUFA content was achieved by replacing standard plant‐based oils and spreads used in cooking and baking (canola and sunflower oils) with macadamia oil and butter, and restricting the intake of some processed foods. All diets complied with the AGHE.Results: We successfully designed diets which complied with the AGHE and which had a linoleic acid (LA) content of 1.80% E and 1.75% E in females and males, respectively. In both cases, the omega‐6 : omega‐3 ratio was reduced to 5.1:1, compared with ∼12:1 in the typical Australian diet, and the saturated fat content was &lt;10% E.Conclusion: These results suggest that reducing the LA content of the diet can be readily achieved within the boundaries set by the AGHE, without an increase in saturated fat intake.

Theoretical dietary modelling of Australian seafood species to meet long-chain omega 3 fatty acid dietary recommendations

BackgroundSeveral agencies recommend seafood to be consumed 2–3 times per week. In Australia, there is a lack of nutrient composition data for seafood species and it is not known whether including different seafood species in a diet would provide sufficient long-chain omega 3 fatty acids (LC n–3 PUFA) to meet various national recommendations.ObjectiveTo utilise recent nutrient composition data for major Australian seafood groups (n=24) with the addition of two tuna options (total n=26) to: (1) determine whether including these species into a diet based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) will achieve LC n–3 PUFA recommendations [Adequate Intake (AI: 160 mg/d men, 90 mg/d women)], Suggested Dietary Target (SDT), 500 mg/d Heart Foundation (HF) recommendation and (2) determine the weekly number of servings of seafood to meet recommendations using either lower fat (n=23, <10% total fat) or higher fat (n=3,≥10% total fat) seafood.DesignTwo simulation models incorporated all 26 species of seafood or only lower fat seafood into a diet based on the AGHE. Two further models identified the number of servings of lower or higher fat seafood required to meet recommendations.ResultsIncluding 2 and 3 servings/week of any seafood would enable 89% of women and 66% of men to meet the AI. Including only lower fat seafood would enable 83% of women and 47% of men to meet the AI. Half a serving/week of higher fat seafood would enable 100% of men and women to meet the AI.ConclusionsIncluding the recommended 2–3 servings of seafood/week requires at least some higher fat seafood to be consumed in order for most men and women to meet the AI. Further messages and nutrition resources are needed which provide options on how to increase intake of LC n–3 PUFA, specifically through consumption of the higher fat seafood.