A report produced by the Public Health Association of Australia titled - A Future For Food: Addressing public health, sustainability and equity from paddock to plate Encourages plant-based diets.

1. Addressing public
health, sustainability and equity
Public Health Association
AUSTRALIA from paddock to plate

2. CALL TO ACTION
The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) is calling for an overhaul in the way we approach
food policy in this country. The PHAA is calling on:
consistency in policy
centralised food policy that has public interest at its core
www.phaa.net.au;
public interest
guideline review that is currently underway
support for this initiative at www.phaa.net.au
health and are ecologically sustainable and socially
2

3. OVERVIEW
social inequality are national priorities for Australia. In each of
these areas food policy plays a crucial role yet the approach to
and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Dietary Guidelines.
approach that can actively address the pressing issues of
as well as adapt to new challenges. patterns of Australians.
The PHAA believes it is possible to establish a food policy
3

4. 10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. International Data Base. August 2006 version.
The PHAA recognises that it is beyond the scope of this
A Future for Food
2
1
Relative Intensity
Beverages
1 Cereals/Carbs
Chicken/Fish/Eggs
Dairy Products
Fruit/Vegetables
Oils/Sweets/Cond
Red Meat
CO CO CO CO
Source: Weber, CL and Matthews HS Food Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts
of Food Choices in the United States, Environ Sci Technol. 2008, 42, 3508-3513
4

5. The selection of foods to be incorporated into guidelines in
not all the biologically relevant aspects of a food.
This raises several concerns:
certain nutrient criteria.
There is inadequate consideration of
styles of eating despite their capacity to provide
While PHAA believes nutrient adequacy by itself provides
that ensures the provision of foods that supply adequate
nutrients to ensure the continued healthy growth and
5

6. There is little question that Australia is facing a chronic disease
crisis.
year on health.
of these conditions. Type II diabetes has at least doubled in
the last two decades
3
While the evidence suggests that rates of overweight and
health service costs of their current high prevalence are yet to
and the net cost of lost wellbeing (the dollar value of the burden
4
There is also clear evidence that certain foods contribute to the
6

7. World Health Organisation (WHO)
Health range of body weight
Be physically active as part of everyday life
WEIGHT GAIN
World Cancer Research Fund Recommendations
has reviewed
disease and osteoporosis to create cancer guidelines that reflect
disease.
7

8. PRODUCTION
potential than CO
)
land degradation including soil loss and decreasing availability of
ability
arable land.
than transport and is only second to all stationary energy.
y.
Australia is particularly vulnerable to water shortages and
tralia pa ularly vulner s rtages
*
2
Prescribed
burning of
savannas
of agricultural
residues
Agricultural
Rice
Cultivation
Enteric
Manure
*CO
Source AGO, 2007.
land degradation.
17
8

9. Life Cycle Assessment
to include actions to
had run out of food a could
d ut and
reduce dependency on
refrigeration through local
of t health disad
the h disadvantage tropical fruit (because it is transported by plane) and
and effective food
change on food availability will
ange storage techniques.
with beef having the greatest water footprint and vegetables
and
According to Julian Cribb & Associates
Every stage of the food chain needs to be considered when
Reijnders & Soret, Am J Clin Nutr 2003
9

10. Food waste
and according to
Australians are wasting all of
based foods.
Food production methods use of best by dating.
locally sourced food.
Weber & Mathews, Environ Sci Technology 2008
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11. The PHAA believes there is a need to ensure basic food literacy
structural changes in food policy are required to address these
that food guidance is accepted and integrated by Australians.
calories worth of carrots.31
Good food policy:
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12. socially equitable.
to change their eating habits and eat less of certain foods are
The PHAA believes industry should be encouraged to use their
practices in line with international trends.
12

13. Consider the social inequalities in our society and
ensure that:
ethically responsible
including disadvantaged groups and future generations
policy with public interest at its core
public accountability for progress
Ensure the current dietary guideline review reduces the
burden of both chronic disease and addresses the re-
emergence of deficiency related disease by:
www.phaa.net.au
and prevention of chronic disease
have been shown to contribute to the burden of disease
whole foods
Consider the environmental impact of our food choices and
develop public health nutrition recommendations that:
food supply and register support at www.phaa.net.au
the region
13

14. McMichael AJ. Integrating nutrition with ecology: balancing the
14

15. University of Melbourne.
Melbourne.
15

16. Public Health Association
AUSTRALIA February 2009