EAT FOR HEALTH Australian Dietary Guidelines

ENJOY A WIDE VARIETY OF NuTRITIOuS FOODS

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Guideline 2

Older people • Reduced mobility, isolation, poor dentition and poverty may reduce
access to nutrititious foods
• Particular care is required to ensure adequate water intake as the
outcomes of dehydration are serious
• People with chronic health issues and the frail elderly often have
dietary requirements that are different to those of healthy, free-
living older people

People living in remote
areas and people in lower
socioeconomic groups

•   Healthy food habits may be difficult to afford

•   In urban areas there may be less access to supermarket foods and

greater access to fast foods

•   In rural and remote areas a wide variety of fresh foods may not be

locally available or may be expensive. Available traditional foods can

be a nutritious alternative

•   Seasonal, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables, dried milk powder

and grains and tinned fish can be nutritious, accessible options

People with vegetarian or
vegan dietary patterns

•   A variety of plant foods should be chosen to ensure adequate intake

of iron and zinc

•   Vitamin B 12 is only available from animal food sources and

supplementation may be needed

Where to next?

Both the quality and quantity of foods and drinks consumed can have a significant impact on health and

wellbeing. The following chapter discusses how the overconsumption of some foods, such as those

containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol, is associated with increased risk of some

health conditions.