What we choose to eat, and how much of it, effects they way our bodies function. A good diet = good health, therefore a poor diet will lead to poor health. Consuming foods too high in salt, fat, sugar and unnecessary additives significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases; such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and stroke (Rippin et al., 2023).
Where do we start?
Van Dyke et al., 2024, suggests that most Australians are aware of the types of foods that contribute to a healthy diet and those that don’t. Food guidelines exists to promote healthy food choices and although they differ from Country to Country they are all based on the idea of a balanced diet that prioritises fruit and vegetables and limits fats, sugars and salts (Van Dyke et al., 2024). The Australian Dietary Guidelines of 2013, as the name suggests, has been developed to guide the choices in what Australians eat. Table 1 shows the recommended serves of the 5 major food groups of adults aged 19 – 50.