EAT FOR HEALTH Australian Dietary Guidelines

ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HEAlTHY WEIGHT

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Guideline 1

1.5 Practice guide for Guideline

Table 1.4: Summary of practical considerations for Guideline 1

Population group Considerations

Adults—to achieve
and maintain a
healthy weight

•   Nutritious foods should be chosen from the five food groups and the unsaturated

fat allowance, in amounts consistent with Foundation Diets

•   Discretionary (energy-dense, nutrient-poor) choices should be limited

•   Taller and/or more active adults in each age and sex group can choose additional

serves of foods from the five food groups and/or unsaturated spreads and oils

and/or discretionary foods to increase energy intake to meet energy requirements

•   Weight and waist circumference should be measured regularly (e.g. every 2 or

3 months)

•   The recommendations of the Australian physical activity guidelines should be followed

Adults—to promote
weight loss

•   The Foundation Diets should be adhered to, without discretionary foods or any

additional serves of the five food groups

•   Weight loss will not be achieved unless energy intake is lower than total

energy expenditure

•   Behavioural change to increase physical activity and improve dietary intake

is fundamental to weight management

Infants, children
and adolescents—
to achieve and
maintain a healthy
weight

•   Foundation Diets represent the basis of optimum diets to support optimum growth

and development

•   Growth and weight should be checked regularly and the amount and/or quality of

diet and physical activity adjusted

•   Childhood is a period of education about good nutrition—appropriate use of food

helps to establish healthy nutrition practices for life

Infants, children
and adolescents—
to manage
overweight

•   Restricting diet — beyond adherence to the Foundation Diets and limiting intake of

discretionary foods and drinks—is not recommended

•   The recommendations of the Australian physical activity guidelines should be followed

Pregnant and
breastfeeding
women

•   Appropriate steady weight gain during pregnancy is important to optimise short- and

long-term health outcomes for both infant and mother

•   Weight loss diets are not recommended at any time during pregnancy

Older people • Declining energy expenditure with age must be balanced by adjusting energy intake to
maintain body weight within the healthy range
• Physical activity is needed to help maintain muscle strength
• lowering blood pressure and normalising blood lipids may be more appropriate for
overweight older people than reducing weight
• The upper range of BMI for healthy adults may be more appropriate for older persons
• The Australian Dietary Guidelines are not appropriate for frail elderly people or those with
complex health conditions—an appropriate health professional should be consulted

Australians of
Asian origin

•   Applying the current WHO BMI cut-off points may underestimate body fatness and

comorbidity risk

Where to next?

The next chapter provides information on the importance of consuming a wide variety of nutritious foods to

promote healthy weight, to promote health and wellbeing and to prevent chronic disease.