Draft Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 3MB) - Eat For Health

1989 - 1995 Composition of Foods, Australia (COFA)The Composition of Foods, Australia (COFA) series was released in seven volumes, containing thefirst compilation of new Australian-sourced data for Australian foods from the analytical work ofGreenfield and colleagues.1991 Recommended Dietary Intakes for use in AustraliaThe development of the Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) began in 1980 and the report waspublished in 1991 [941]. The RDIs are derived from estimates of requirements for each age/sexcategory and incorporate generous factors to accommodate variations in absorption andmetabolism. They therefore apply to group needs. RDIs exceed the actual nutrient requirementsof practically all healthy persons and are not synonymous with requirements.1992 Food and Nutrition PolicyThe Australian Food and Nutrition Policy, endorsed in 1992 [33], aims to improve the health ofAustralians and reduce the burden of preventable diet-related death, illness and disability. Thepolicy strategies were developed in alignment with dietary guidelines and based on principles ofgood nutrition, ecological sustainability and equity.1992 Dietary Guidelines for AustraliansAn expert panel was set up in 1989 by the Public Health Committee to review the existing dietaryguidelines. In 1992, the Dietary Guidelines for Australians were published by the NHMRC for use byhealthy adults. They represented the best consensus of scientific knowledge and public healthadvice available. A guideline to encourage and support breastfeeding was included, as were specificguidelines on calcium and iron.1995 The Core Food GroupsThe Core Food Groups [942] was the modeling document that underpinned the development of thefood guide- the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see below). The purpose of The Core Food Groups[942] was to discuss the basis for a core food group system that reflects advances in nutritionknowledge and to complement existing nutrition references at the time (for example, DietaryGuidelines for Australians, 1992). The need for a core food group system arose because existingfood selection guides in Australia at the time differed in the advice offered. The Core Food Groupsdocument was developed to provide an approach that was objective, scientifically rigorous andupdateable as new evidence on nutrition became available. It provided advice on core foodDRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 151