EAT FOR HEALTH Australian Dietary Guidelines

lIMIT INTAKE OF FOODS CONTAINING SATuRATED FAT, ADDED SAlT, ADDED SuGARS AND AlCOHOl

85

Guideline 3

4.4 Practice guide for Guideline

Table 3.7: Considerations in advising people from specific groups to limit intake of foods containing saturated fat,
added salt, added sugars and alcohol

Population group Considerations

Pregnant and
breastfeeding women

•   Additional energy requirements should be met through extra foods from the five

food groups rather than energy-dense discretionary foods

•   Not drinking alcohol while pregnant is the safest option – there is no lower limit

that can be guaranteed to be completely safe for the foetus

•   Abstaining from alcohol is the safest option for women who are breastfeeding –

for those who drink, expressing milk before consuming alcohol is the next

best option

Infants • Babies who fall asleep while continuing to feed from a bottle containing infant
formula, fruit juice or other sugar-containing liquid can develop a severe form of
tooth decay
• When solid foods are introduced, salt and sugar should not be added to prepared
food and the salt and sugar content of ready made foods should be checked

Children and
adolescents

•   Introducing healthy eating patterns in early childhood influences dietary patterns

in later years, however reduced fat milk, yoghurt and cheese products are not

recommended for children under 2 years

•   Water and plain milk are recommended drinks – consumption of soft drink,

‘sports drinks’, ‘vitamin waters’, cordials, fruit drinks and energy drinks should

be limited

•   Not drinking alcohol is especially important in children under 15 years of age,

who are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking

•   For adolescents aged 15−17 years, the safest option is to delay drinking for as

long as possible

Older people • Older people with complex health issues or frail elderly people often have dietary
requirements that are different to those of healthy, free-living older people where
maintaining energy intake is a priority and discretionary foods may assist in
preventing malnutrition
• Older people are more susceptible than others to the toxic effects of alcohol and
for some older adults, drinking alcohol increases the risk of falls and injuries
• Older people are advised to consult their health professionals about the most
appropriate level of drinking for their health

Where to next?

The next chapter provides information on why breastfeeding is beneficial to the health of the infant and the

mother, and practical considerations for encouraging and supporting breastfeeding.