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

have an associated nutrition risk due to increased nutrient requirements. Maternal nutritionalstatus is a major determinant of foetal and infant nutritional status.A7.6 Infants and childrenChildren, particularly those under five, are particularly susceptible to socioeconomic inequalitiesthat lead to marked differentials in health and nutrition. There is a clear association between thewealth of the environment the child grows up in, including socioeconomic indicators such asmaternal education, and family income [871]. According to the 2005–06 NSW Population HealthSurvey, exclusive breastfeeding of children at six months of age was significantly lower for infantswith mothers without tertiary qualifications (13%) compared with for those with tertiaryqualifications (25%); mothers living in the lowest socioeconomic status (SES) areas (11%)compared with those in the highest SES areas (26%); and mothers aged younger than 25 years(9%) compared with mothers aged 25 years and over (17%) [864]. Further information is alsoavailable in the revised Infant Feeding Guidelines for Health Workers [133].A7.7 Older peopleThe Dietary Guidelines are not for the frail elderly and reducing food components such as fat, saltand sugar which may make food more palatable are not always applicable to this population. Livingalone, as many older adults do, has been associated with a poorer, less varied diet. 4 Older peopleoften rely on pensions and have increasing difficulty with transport and communication, access tofacilities, and preparation of food. Ill health and poor dentition can also compromise nutritionalstatus. As the population continues to age, the demand for residential, respite and day-careservices for the elderly has increased.A7.8 People born overseasMany migrants enjoy health that is as good as, if not better than, that of the Australian-bornpopulation [26]. This could be partly because migrants are selected for their health status, orbecause, in some cases, they are less likely to be exposed to risk factors for non-communicabledisease before they arrive in Australia. However there is a small proportion of the migrantpopulation, such as refugees, who experience poorer health than other Australians due tosocioeconomic and political factors [26].4Note that the Guidelines do not apply for the frail elderly or for residents of aged care institutions.DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 188