DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines - Eat For Health

2.1.4.2 Infants
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for around the first six months of age, after which solid
(pureed or spoon) foods of suitable texture can be introduced. There is no particular order or
rate for the introduction of new foods, other than the first foods should be rich in iron.
Breastfeeding should continue until 12 months and beyond for as long as the mother and child
desire (for more information, see the Infant Feeding Guidelines for Health Workers [133]), Food
choices should be varied to ensure adequate energy (kilojoule) and nutrient supply.
When introducing solids (spoon foods) to infants, parents and carers should ensure that a wide
variety of nutritious foods of different colours, suitable textures and types is offered. This will
provide the additional nutrients required as infants grow and the variety will help to increase
acceptance of different nutritious foods. It is also more likely to improve the acceptance of a
varied diet during childhood. Hard foods, such as nuts, should not be offered to children until they
are over three years of age and they are sufficiently mature to reduce the risk of choking.
2.1.4.3 Adults
Males living alone are at particular risk of not eating a wide variety of nutritious foods. Analysis of
the 1995 National Nutrition Survey [37] showed that in nearly all age groups adult males consumed
significantly fewer types of foods than other groups.
2.1.4.4 Older people
The diet of older people is generally more varied than that of younger groups [44]. However the
frail elderly are at increased risk of consuming monotonous, limited diets due to factors such as
reduced mobility, poor dentition and poverty which may reduce access to a range of fresh foods.
2.1.4.5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Limited data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dietary intake are available. Very restricted
dietary patterns - in which over 50% of energy (kilojoule) intake was derived by meat, flour and
sugar - have been described in remote Aboriginal communities [134] with relatively little change
observed recently [135]. However the majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live
in urban areas and their most significant dietary issues tend to be also experienced by all people in
lower socioeconomic groups.
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