DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines - Eat For Health

Executive Summary
Dietary patterns which include a wide variety of nutritious foods are more likely
to meet nutrient requirements, promote health and wellbeing and confer health
benefits than restricted diets.
A variety of foods should be consumed from each of the five food groups:
vegetables and legumes/beans; fruit; grain (cereal) foods mostly wholegrain; lean
meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and/or legumes/beans; and milk,
yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives. Mostly reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese
products are recommended for adults, but reduced fat milks are not suitable as
the main milk drink for children under the age of two years.
There are many different ways to combine these nutrient-dense foods to produce
nutritious dietary patterns that suit cultural, economic, social and culinary
preferences, as well as delivering health benefits.
There is increasing evidence that current consumption patterns are associated with
reduced risk of chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes,
and several cancers.
Together with adherence to Guideline 2 (on limiting intake of specific foods high in
saturated fat, sugar and/or salt) and Guideline 3 (on achieving and maintaining a
healthy weight), consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods and choosing
water as a drink will substantially reduce the risk of diet-related chronic disease
and promote health and wellbeing in Australia.
This chapter provides information on why the consumption of a wide variety of
nutritious foods is beneficial to health, the evidence for the recommended
approach, and includes practical advice for the general population and specific
subpopulation groups.
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