This document discusses Australia's current systems for monitoring food supply and intake. It notes that currently there is no formal national monitoring system, and outlines some key areas and existing data sources for food monitoring including food supply, purchasing, consumption behaviors and nutritional status. Some of the main data sources mentioned are food balance sheets, GEMS/Food cluster diets, apparent consumption data from retail sales and household surveys. However, the document also points out limitations and gaps with using these sources alone for comprehensive national nutrition monitoring over time.

1. XNN001

3.  Four critical areas for data
collection include
 Currently no formal monitoring
system in place in Australia
Food
supply
Food
purchasing and
acquisition
Food and
physical activity
behaviours
Nutritional
status

4.  To calculate „available food for consumption‟ – Food
balance sheets
 Information on amounts of food (raw
commodities) available for consumption per year
Food available for use =
production + imports – exports
Food available for consumption =
production + imports – exports – industrial use –
animal use
 Important – food available for consumption does
NOT tell us how much food is actually eaten!
Food
supply
Food purchasing
and acquisition
Food and
physical activity
behaviours
Nutritional
status
Food
supply

5.  Global Environment Monitoring System - Food
Contamination Monitoring and Assessment
Programme (GEMS/Food)
 WHO Initiative
 Assesses & monitors food contaminants, their
contribution to human exposure, & significance
for public health and trade
 WHO 13 cluster diets, that have been created to
cover average food consumption in 13 regions
 Twenty Key Foods Investigated
 Groups of countries based on consumption
create „clusters‟.

7.  Cluster M (Aus, NZ, USA, Canada, Argentina,
Chile, Uruguay)
 Clusters G & L (Asia-Pacific)

8.  To compare food trends within Australia
Apparent food consumption data
Apparent consumption =
(commercial production + estimated home
production + imports + opening stocks)
(exports + usage for processed foods + non-
food usage + wastage + closing stocks)
MINUS

9.  food balance sheets
◦ food available, not food consumed
◦ national average, not individual/sub-group
specific
 apparent consumption data
◦ not used for all foods
 Overall – no ongoing, regular and
comprehensive system for monitoring
food supply and food availability

10.  Very crude estimates with many limitations
and errors
 Possibility of significant unreported trade
across national boundaries
 In UK FBS estimates 30-35% higher than
those from household budget surveys ie
seems to overestimate intake
10

11.  Retail food sales- provide information on:
◦ type of foods purchased
◦ amount purchased
◦ population level consumption
◦ not measuring actual consumption of
individuals

12.  Household food expenditure
◦ budget surveys
◦ provides data on amount of
money/proportion of income spent on
food by different kinds of households
◦ provides weighting figures for CPI
(Consumer Price Index)
◦ not measuring foods or nutrients

13.  Food prices
 Provide information on:
◦ Trends in the relative affordability of various
food items over time  accessibility
◦ The Consumer Price Index
◦ May not be relevant to rural or low-income
households
 Household surveys
 Provide information on:
◦ Expenditure esp. food
◦ Relative quantities of different types of foods
purchased by different kinds of households
◦ BUT NOT FOR nutrition monitoring purposes
(although it could & relate it to income,
geographic location, composition)

14. Reliable trends in food intake over time can only
be established from data collected using the same
survey design & food intake methodology.
Can achieve this via the aid of national dietary
surveys (of intakes)– to provide information on
average intake of population
1995 National
Nutrition Survey
National Health
Survey

15.  NNS 1995
◦ 13,858 Australians > 2 years of age
◦ Conducted using 24hr recalls in the home
 This method allowed a large number of people to be included
 The decision was made to use this method to allow comparison
with other studies (1983 & 1986 NNS)
◦ Most recent National Nutrition Survey for which data available
 NNPAS 2011 – 2012
◦ ABS
◦ 24-hour recalls, similar methodology
◦ First real opprotuniy for comparison

16.  Provide information on:
◦ Likely impact of changes to food regulation
◦ Levels of additives & contaminants in the food
supply
◦ Need for, & impact of, fortification of foods

18.  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

20. http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/n
uttab2010/
 Contains data for approx 2600 foods available in
Australia and up to 245 nutrients (online and
electronic versions)
 Includes separate files for vitamin D, amino
acids, indigenous foods and trans fats
 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

21.  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

23.  „RDI‟s‟
 1991 – 2006
 Now replaced with the Nutrient Reference
Values (NRVs)

24. 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

25.  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

26.  „Nutrient Reference Values for Australia &
New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary
Intakes
 Released in 2006 by NHMRC
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/PUBLICATIONS/syno
pses/n35syn.htm

27.  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.

28.  There are different NRV values for different
nutrients:
Nutrient Reference Values
EAR
Estimat
ed
Averag
e
Require
ment
AI
Adequa
te
Intake
RDI
Recom
mende
d
Dietary
Intake
UL
Upper
Limit of
Intake
EER
Estimat
ed
Energy
Require
ment
SDT
Sugges
ted
Dietary
Target
AMDR
Accepta
ble
Macronu
trient
Distribu
tion
Range

29.  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)

30. Macronutrients, water &
fibre
• Protein
• Dietary Fat
• Carbohydrate
• Dietary Fibre
• Total water
Vitamins
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Folate
• Pantothenic acid
• Biotin
• Choline
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
Minerals
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Zinc
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Iodine
• Selenium
• Molybdenum
• Copper
• Chromium
• Manganese
• Fluoride
• Sodium
• Potassium

31.  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

32.  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

33.  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

34.  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

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

36. EAR
RDI
UL
AI
Riskofexcess
EAR estimated average requirement, AI adequate intake,
RDI recommended dietary intake, UL upper limit

37.  SDTs – Suggested Dietary Targets
 AMDRS – Acceptable Macronutrient
Distribution Ranges

38.  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

39. Cover:
◦ Vitamin A, C, E
◦ Selenium
◦ Folate
◦ Sodium/potassium
◦ Dietary fibre
◦ Long chain omega 3 fats
(DHA:EPA:DPA)

40.  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

41.  Protein
◦ 15-25% of energy intake
◦ 10% required to cover physiological needs but not Fe,
Mg etc
 Fat
◦ 20-35% of energy intake
◦ <10% of energy intake from saturated and trans fat
◦ 4-5 – 10% energy from omega 6 (linoleic acid)
◦ 0.4-0.5 – 1% energy from omega 3 (alpha-linolenic
acid)
 Carbohydrate
◦ 45-65% of energy intake
◦ Predominately from low energy density, low GI foods

42.  Recommendations:
% of total energy
◦ Carbohydrate 45 – 65
◦ Protein 15 – 25
◦ Fat 20 – 35%
 saturated fat ≤10
 mono-unsaturated fat ≥10

43.  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

46.  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

47.  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.

48.  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

49.  Possible limitations:
◦ Has a large breads & cereals section which, if consumed
as refined grains, may be detrimental to health &/or
weight
◦ Does not give varying recommendations for varying
energy needs & physical activity levels
◦ Does not address food sustainability and security or
account for impact of rising food prices

50.  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

51. 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