Nutrition

Good nutrition can reduce the risk of excessive weight gain and protect against chronic disease. Dietary factors are associated with good and ill health, either as protective or as risk factors. Health problems that are linked to poor eating patterns include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. A diet high in fat and sugar consumption is associated with increased health risks.

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends that people eat plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits; and cereals, preferably wholegrain. Recommendations include eating lean meat, fish, poultry, and/or alternatives, reduced fat varieties of milks, yoghurts, cheeses, and/or alternatives; drinking plenty of water; limiting saturated fat and total fat intake; choosing foods low in salt; limiting alcohol intake; consuming only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars.

Population surveys indicate that significant proportions of adults and children do not meet dietary guidelines. Currently, adults’ and children’s food consumption patterns show that they consume excess energy, over-consume energy-dense foods that are high in fats and sugar, and consume lower than recommended levels of vegetables.

These problems of poor nutrition are the focus of health policy and community nutrition efforts to assess and monitor nutritional status, improve food supply and influence people’s food choices.

Further information on population nutrition issues is available from a variety of credible government and non-government sources, including those listed below.

Information on specific aspects of nutrition, including data on NSW population nutrition and intervention programs, is provided in other sections of this website. PANORG’s nutrition research interests cover: age groups across the lifespan and groups at increased risk of poor nutrition; consumer issues (such as availability of healthier choices, marketing, labeling, and pricing); food policy; and community programs.


To find out more about nutrition, please follow the links below to some useful websites.

Cluster for Public Health Nutrition

NSW Health

Heart Foundation

Cancer Council NSW

AIHW Profile of the nutritional status of children and adolescents

AIHW Towards national indicators for food and nutrition: an AIHW view: reporting against the Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults

2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating