Australian Guidelines for Diet

The Australian government has developed nutrition advice specific to adults, children and infants. The Dietary Guidelines, developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council, are intended to improve the health of Australians and cut down on preventable diet-related death or illness. By eating the recommended quantity and quality of food, Australians can satisfy the body's nutritional needs and reduce the risk of health problems.

Kilojoules

• Australians operate on a system of kilojoules (kJ) for measuring units of energy in food. One kJ is equal to approximately 239 calories. Nutritionaustralia.org gives the average amount of kilojoules required on a daily basis as follows: 12 to 15 years old--10,500 kJ for males, 9,000 kJ for females; 16 to 18 years old--12,500 kJ for males, 9,500 kJ for females; adults up to 60 years old--11,000 kJ for males, 9,000 kJ for females; over 60 years old--9,000 kJ for males, 8,250 kJ for females.

Adults

• Australian adults are encouraged to eat a wide variety of nutritious foods. This includes lean meats, fish and poultry; milks, yogurts and cheese, choosing low-fat options if available; vegetables, legumes (beans and peas) and fruit; wholegrain breads, rice, pasta and noodles. Adults should also drink plenty of water, approximately 6 to 8 glasses per day.
  The dietary guidelines also suggest that adults should limit saturated and total fats, as well as limiting alcohol intake. Additionally, they should choose foods low in salt and only eat moderate amounts of sugars, including added sugars.

Children, Adolescents and Infants

• The guidelines specifically encourage and support breastfeeding for infants, as it promotes good health in children and nursing mothers. Infants should be breastfed exclusively until they are six months old, as this is when the maximum benefits of breastfeeding occurs. Mothers should continue to breastfeed until the infant is 12 months old, introducing suitable foods complementary to breast milk after six months.
  The dietary guidelines for children are similar to that of the adults, with a few alterations. Reduced-fat milk is not appropriate for children under two years old, as they require more energy. However, it is suggested for older children and adolescents. Low-fat diets are not intended for infants, and alcohol should not be ingested by children. Young children should drink about 4 to 5 glasses of water daily.

Healthy Living Pyramid

• The Healthy Living Pyramid (HLP) acts as a basic guide for the types of food people should eat and in what proportion. The bottom layer of the pyramid includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, dried peas, beans, lentils, breads and cereals. Most of a person's daily kilojoules should come from this layer.
  The middle layer includes fish, lean meat, eggs, skinless chicken, milk, cheese and yogurt. These foods should be eaten moderately, about one serving of meat, fish or eggs, and three servings of dairy per day.
  Sugars and fats make up the top layer of the pyramid, foods that should be limited. The HLP suggests that an average plate should be made up mostly of foods from the bottom layer, about one-third of food from the middle layer, and very little of the top layer.
  There is no specific number of servings or serving sizes suggested as part of the HLP; it is intended to provide a nutritional balance for Australians. Further details on servings and serving sizes can be found on the Australian government's dietary guideline pamphlets (see Resources).