2. How
Do we know what nutrients are in a particular food and how
much?
Do we know if an individual, group or population is eating
enough of a particular food or nutrient?
Can we tell an individual, group or population is eating too
much of a particular food or nutrient?
Can we identify if a child is not growing normally?
Can we monitor trends in underweight, overweight and
obesity in a population?
Can we guide consumers towards food choices that are
consistent with current dietary recommendations for
optimising health and preventing nutrition related disease?

4. Tables of Food Composition
Used to:
Convert information about food intake to nutrient intake
Contain:
Nutrient data that is an average of nutrients in a particular sample of
foods & ingredients, determined at a particular time
Need to:
Be current
Match the food supply
NOTE: The nutrient composition of foods & ingredients can vary substantially over
different batches, & between brands because of a number of factors including:
• Changes in season
• Processing practices
• Ingredient source

5. NUTTAB 2010
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation
/nuttab2010/
Contains data for approx 2600 foods available in Australia and up to
245 nutrients (online and electronic versions)
Uses:
 A guide to the nutrient content of Australian foods for nutrition research
and to assist consumers to make healthy food choices
 An education tool for schools and universities

6. Limitations of food composition tables
Limitations:
Food supply changes quickly
Biological variation of foods
Single values representing range
Incomplete data – missing foods & nutrients
Bioavailability not considered
Potential measurement & data entry error
Relate to food supply of that country

8. Dietary Guidelines 2013 (NHMRC)
Recommendations (‘guidelines’) which encourage healthy
lifestyles that will minimise the risk of the development of diet
related diseases within the Australian population
Highlight the groups of foods and lifestyle patterns that promote
good nutrition and health
Available in ‘Eat for Health’ publication

11. Dietary Guidelines 2013
Focus on:
Contribution of core foods & major sources of energy (fat, starch &
sugar) to the overall diet
Provide:
A practical way of informing consumers about food choices that are
consistent with current dietary recommendations
Separate guidelines for adults and children & adolescents

12. Dietary guidelines 2013
Outlines how many serves
a person should have of
each food group based on
their:
age
gender
body size (to a degree)
activity level (to a degree)
Provides examples of what
a serve is.

13. Dietary Guidelines 2013 –
notes for use
Summarise current nutrition knowledge
Trigger more comprehensive education
programs
Represent best consensus of scientific
knowledge
For use by healthy adults
Apply to whole diet not to individual foods
Guidelines are meant to be complementary
not separate items
Not appropriate for cross cultural issues or
unusual habits

15. Recommended Dietary Intakes
‘RDI’s’
1991 – 2006
Now replaced with the Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs)

16. Recommended Dietary Intakes
1991-2006
“The levels of essential nutrients considered, in the judgement of the
NHMRC, on the basis of scientific knowledge to be adequate to meet the
known nutritional needs of practically all healthy people.”
i.e. they apply to group, not individual, needs
RDIs were often misused to assess dietary adequacy of individuals &
even foods
To overcome this, many countries have now moved to a system of
reference values which retains the concept of the RDI but also attempts
to identify the average requirements needed by individuals

17. Nutrient Reference Values
Retain the concept of the RDI
Provide more complete information for decision making about
nutritional status of individuals and groups
Outline the levels of intake of essential nutrients considered to be
adequate to meet the known nutritional needs of practically all
healthy people for prevention of deficiency states.
The document can be used by health professionals to assess the
likelihood of inadequate intake in individuals or groups of people.
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/PUBLICATIONS/synopses/n35syn.htm

18. NRV – An Umbrella Term
There are different NRV values for different nutrients:

19. Nutrient Requirements
Developed using reference (standard) body weights for different
age groups
Estimated Energy Requirements (EERs) include physical activity
level (PAL) consideration but refer to standardized weight for age
Adults well above and below the reference standard will have
slightly different nutrient requirements (use RDI)

20. Estimated Average Requirement – EAR
Daily nutrient level estimated to meet the requirement of half the
healthy individuals in a life stage/gender group (i.e. median value)
Uses:
Individuals: use to examine the probability that usual intake is
inadequate
Groups: use to estimate the prevalence of inadequate intakes within a
group

21. Recommended Dietary Intake -RDI
Average daily dietary level sufficient to meet the nutrient
requirements of NEARLY ALL (97-98%) healthy individuals in a life
stage & gender group
Uses:
Individuals: usual intake at or above this level has a low probability of
inadequacy
Groups: DO NOT USE TO ASSESS GROUPS

22. Adequate Intake – AI
Average daily intake based on observed or experimentally-determined
approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group of
apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate
 Used when an RDI can not be determined
Uses:
Individuals: can be used as a goal for individual intake but use with
caution if nutrient level is based on median intakes of healthy
populations
Groups: if mean intake is at or above this level, a low prevalence of
inadequacy is likely

23. Upper Limit – UL
Highest level of continuing daily nutrient intake likely to pose no
adverse health effects in almost all individuals
Uses:
Individuals: usual intake above this level may place an individual at
risk of adverse effects from excessive nutrient intake
Groups: use to estimate the % of the population at potential risk of
adverse effects from excessive nutrient intake

24. Summary of the uses for the NRVs
NRV Individuals Groups
EAR Use to determine probability usual Use to estimate prevalence of
intake is inadequate inadequate intakes within group
RDI Usual intake at or above this level DO NOT USE TO ASSESS
has a low probability of inadequacy INTAKES OF GROUPS
AI Usual intake at or above has a low Mean usual intake at or above this
probability of inadequacy. When AI level implies a low prevalence of
is based on median intakes of inadequate intake. When AI is
healthy population, interpret with based on median intakes of healthy
caution. population, interpret with caution.
UL Usual intake above this level may Use to estimate % of population at
place individual at risk of adverse potential risk of adverse effects from
effects from excessive intake excessive nutrient intake

25. EAR
Risk of deficiency
AI
Risk of excess
RDI
UL
EAR estimated average requirement, AI adequate intake,
RDI recommended dietary intake, UL upper limit

27. Suggested Dietary Targets (SDTs)
Applicable to adolescents over 14 years and adults
A daily average intake from food and beverages for certain
nutrients that may help in prevention of chronic disease
For most nutrients, the recommendation is based on the 90th
centile of current population intake

28. Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution
Range – AMDR
Estimate of the range of intake for each macronutrient for
individuals which would allow for an adequate intake of all the
other nutrients whilst maximising general health outcomes
Expressed as % energy
Applicable to adolescents over 14 years and adults

29. Recommendations for macronutrient intakes
Recommendations:
% of total energy
Carbohydrate 45 – 65
Protein 15 – 25
Fat ≤30
 saturated fat ≤10
 mono-unsaturated fat ≥10

31. Anthropometric Reference Values for
children
Growth curves used: Children above the 85th percentile are
 weight for age generally considered overweight and above
 height for age the 97th percentile are considered obese
 weight for height
 head circumference for age
WHO & CDC charts used
WHO growth standards:
http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/
CDC growth charts: http://www.cdc.gov/GrowthCharts/

33. Anthropometric Reference Values
For adults:
Body Mass Index (BMI) (discussed last week)
WHO classification
 18.5-24.99 Normal range
 > 25 Overweight
 ≥ 30 Obese

35. Previous food selection guides
5 food groups (Federal Health, 1940s)
Healthy Eating Pyramid (NA, 1981)
12345+ Food & Nutrition Plan (CSIRO, 1990s)
http://www.csiro.au/proprietaryDocuments/12345_Plan.pdf

36. Core Food Groups (1995)
National Health and Medical Research Council
Replaced the 5 food groups
Currently Under Review
Provide
70% of RDI for vitamins & minerals
50% of RDI for protein
50% Energy Requirements
Nutrient based
Daily food intakes
No indulgence foods or fats

37. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
Plate/pie shaped rather than a
pyramid
Based on 5 food groups
bread, cereal, rice, pasta, noodles
vegetables, legumes
Fruit
milk, yoghurt, cheese
meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts,
legumes
Each section represents
proportions of that food group
eaten in 1 day – not 1 meal

38. The AGTHE – what’s outside the circle?
Water – key messages
 8 glasses or 2L of water every day
 More required when physically active & in hot weather
 All fluids, other than alcohol, contribute
Extra foods – key messages
 Choose these sometimes or in small amounts
 Not essential to provide nutrients the body needs
 Guide allows them to be considered in the context of selecting a healthy
eating pattern

39. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

40. The Asian Diet Pyramid

41. Food Variety
Means choosing a mixture of food:
across the range of food groups
from within food types
More desirable:
to have meals with many ingredients in small amounts
than to have meals with few ingredients in large amounts

42. Food-based Dietary Guidelines
WHO recommends dietary are more practical & user-
guidelines should be food based friendly
promote enjoyment & taste
avoid references to nutrients
Based upon scientific evidence
address traditional foods, dishes &
cuisines – as per other dietary
guidelines
Not developed
in Australia
www.carlwarner.com.au

43. Food Selection Guides
Need to be:
 Scientifically complete, yet contain simple
key messages
 Logical yet provide consumer understanding
 Reflect foods commonly consumed in
Australia
 Represent a range of foods within each group
 Be affordable
Albania  Be culturally acceptable
 Reflect the nature of the food supply Slovenia
 Be consistent with reference standards & DGs
Estonia Poland Croatia