EAT FOR HEALTH Australian Dietary Guidelines

ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HEAlTHY WEIGHT

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Guideline 1

GUIDElInE 1

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Guideline 1

To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of

nutritious foods and drinks to meet your energy needs.

•   Children and adolescents should eat sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally.

They should be physically active every day and their growth should be checked regularly.

•   Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help maintain

muscle strength and a healthy weight.

Summary

•   Healthy weight is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular

disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. unhealthy weight refers to being underweight,

overweight or obese.

•   An optimum dietary pattern for adults to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is one in

which nutrient requirements are met and total energy intake does not often exceed total

energy expenditure.

•   Physical activity is an important part of a healthy, active life.

•   The high and increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia highlights the

need to provide guidance for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Small, persistent

excess energy intake will cause excess weight gain in people of any age.

•   Recent evidence highlights the importance of achieving an appropriate suitable energy

intake, within suitable macronutrient distribution ranges for protein, fat and carbohydrates.

In general, the quantities of foods outlined in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

and companion resources should not be exceeded and consumption of energy-dense,

nutrient-poor discretionary foods and drinks should be limited.

•   Weight should be measured regularly in adults and the amount and/or quality of food,

drinks and physical activity adjusted accordingly. Children and adolescents need

sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally and their growth should be

checked regularly to ensure appropriate development is occurring.

•   As most Australian adults are now of unhealthy weight, this chapter offers population

level advice on managing weight gain and reduction while discouraging inappropriate

food restriction, particularly among high risk groups.

This chapter provides information on the importance of quantity, as well as quality, when

choosing foods to achieve healthy weight, to promote health and wellbeing and prevent

chronic disease.