EAT FOR HEALTH Australian Dietary Guidelines

APPENDICES

105

Food group

First quintile

(most

disadvantaged)

Second

quintile

Third

quintile

Fourth

quintile

Fifth quintile

(least

disadvantaged)

Alcohol (g) 13.4 13.3 14.3 14.6 13.8

Vitamin A (μg) 1280 1299 1236 1218 1329

Thiamin (mg) 1.81 1.74 1.81 1.83 1.80

Riboflavin (mg) 2.27 2.18 2.24 2.25 2.22

Niacin (mg) 45.8 45.9 45.6 45.5 45.9

Folate (μg) 289 286 299 272 292

Vitamin C (mg) 132 131 130 135 142

Calcium (mg) 907 888 900 926 945

Phosphorus (mg) 1626 1631 1630 1654 1673

Magnesium (mg) 353 356 354 361 366

Iron (mg) 15.1 15.0 15.3 15.4 15.6

Zinc (mg) 12.9 13.07 12.8 13.0 13.3

Potassium (mg) 3541 3495 3507 3528 3551

Because inadequate nutritional status is part of the ‘vicious cycle’ of malnutrition and infection, higher prevalence
of undernutrition in lower socioeconomic groups further contributes to the incidence, severity and case fatality of
childhood illnesses^884 and incidence of chronic disease in later life.

A3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Diet-related health outcomes

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia suffer significant health inequities compared with the
broader community. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people typically die at much younger ages and are more
likely to experience ill health, disability and reduced quality of life.^988 Poor nutrition is a major risk factor for many of
the diseases with higher prevalence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups and it has been estimated
that 19% of the national Indigenous burden of disease is attributable to poor diet.^992

Socioeconomic disadvantage underlies many of these health statistics.^993 Compared with non-Indigenous
Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples report lower incomes, higher rates of unemployment,
lower educational attainment, more overcrowded and inadequate housing,^994 higher rates of incarceration and
limited access to transport.^24 Disrupted family and community cohesion, social marginalisation, stress, lack of
control over circumstances, and discrimination and racism are also apparent.28,993

Overweight and obesity are common.28,311 Measured anthropometric data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples are unavailable, however less reliable self-reported data indicated that more than half of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over were overweight or obese.^995

undernutrition among young children and relatively poor growth from around 6 months of age persists in some
parts of Australia.996-999

Foetal alcohol syndrome is also still present in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.863,864

Vitamin and mineral status has been measured infrequently in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.^28
Multiple deficiencies have frequently been described in the same subject, suggesting the generally poor nutritional
status of such individuals, rather than a specific micronutrient problem. In particular, vitamin status (in relation
to folate, ascorbic acid and beta-carotene) consistent with low intakes of fruit and vegetables has often been
described.7,352 More recently iodine deficiency in an Aboriginal birth cohort in the Northern Territory^1000 and low
vitamin D status in a South Australian Aboriginal population10 01 have been found.