NEWS FLASH: The new Australian Dietary Guidelines 2013 are out…

After a lengthy review process which began after the Draft release in Dec 2011, the new Australian Dietary Guidelines are finally here. Check them out at www.eatforhealth.gov.au.

What’s ‘new’ in the new Australian Dietary Guidelines?

The message of enjoying a ‘wide variety of nutritious from the Five Food Groups’ continues to be the same, with the following specific considerations:

• Grain (cereal) foods have reduced in serve size compared to the previous guidelines and there is more emphasis on wholegrain and high fibre choices.
• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives are recommended in their reduced fat varieties.
• Fruit is encouraged generally in whole form or packaged in natural juice, with fruit juice and dried fruit to be consumed only occasionally.
• Vegetables and legumes/ beans have been encouraged in differing colours and types (Brassica/ cruciferous, orange, raw leafy, starchy vegetables and other vegetables such as red and yellow vegetables)
• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans are encouraged, with slighter larger quantities than the 2003 guidelines, while processed meats and sausages are excluded from the core food group, and included in the ‘discretionary’ food group.
• Unsaturated oils and spreads are encouraged, although not quite landing on the central ‘plate’ of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
• There is a stronger message to replace Saturated fats with Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats (rather than carbohydrate).
• And  ‘Extra foods’ are now expressed as ‘discretionary choices’, with sugar sweetened beverages and other nutrient poor, energy dense foods, falling far from the central food plate.

 Controversial?

While there is still some contention and disagreement between health authorities, nutrition experts, scientists, and food industry alike, and I certainly agree they are not ‘perfect’, they are at least more up-to-date than the old 2003 guidelines, and the Dietitians Association of Australia welcome the new guidelines:

http://daa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Nutrition-experts-welcome-long-awaited-release-of-Dietary-Guidelines-FINAL.pdf

As do Nutrition Australia: http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/news/2013/02/new-australian-dietary-guidelines-inspire-new-wave-healthy-eating-advice

For some healthy debate, check out: http://www.scoopnutrition.com/2013/02/the-scoop-on-the-new-2013-australian-dietary-guidelines-by-emma-stirling-apd/

And:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-19/new-diet-guidelines-spark-debate-on-sugar/4526174?utm_source=E-Healthcare+Brief+%28Current%29&utm_campaign=f486a8babf-AHHA_e_healthcare_brief_19_February_2013&utm_medium=email

And:

For what it’s worth…

As an Accredited Practising Dietitian, I would have liked to see the ‘healthy fats’ (poly and mono unsaturated fats) be included as part of the core food groups, rather than out on their own, given the known health benefits they provide. For what it’s worth I think the NHMRC could have made a bit more of an effort to design sample meal plans that encourage optimal health (not just ‘average health’), with more creative and stimulating meal and snack ideas. I also prefer the traditional, and more wholesome-unpackaged-looking food images to depict the foods 5 food groups in the Guide to Healthy Eating plate. Although I appreciate that the move toward depicting foods in their packets may have been to reduce ambiguity regarding food types and to present foods in their serving size.

In Summary:

The 2003 Australian Dietary Guidelines are well out-dated and revised guidelines are welcomed. They are designed to encourage healthy eating messages to the general public and do not specifically cater to individuals’ needs and preferences. For those needing dietary advice to optimise health or to treat various health conditions, an Accredited Practising Dietitian can provide individualised dietary advice and meal plans.

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