food selection

• Food selection models


  Frameworks and models used to educate Australians on healthy eating practices, nutritional information and how to engage with food in an effective manner
• Food selection models in Australia

  • Australian guide to healthy eating
  • Health star rating system
  • Healthy eating pyramid
• Australia's government perspective: "Let's try to put put informative structures, frameworks and models to educate Australians on healthy eating practices, nutritional information and how to engage with food in an effective manner"
• Australian guide to healthy eating

  Provides nutritional advice to Australians with the aim of reducing short and long term consequences of nutritional imbalance
• Australian guide to healthy eating


  1. Visual representation of the 5 food groups

  2. Purpose: Provide nutritional advice to Australians

  3. AIM: To reduce short and long term consequences of nutritional imbalance

  4. Method: Visual representation of the 5 food groups
• 5 food groups in the Australian guide to healthy eating


  • Grains/cereal foods (30% of daily intake)
  • Vegetables and legumes (30% of daily intake)
  • Meats (15% of daily intake)
  • Fruit (10-12% of daily intake)
  • Milk and dairy products (10-12% of daily intake)
• Grains/cereal foods


  High in carbs = energy production
• Vegetables and legumes


  High in fibre, low in energy (assist in weight management)
• Meats


  Provide protein which leads to development of tissues, energy and blood
• Fruit


  Vitamin and mineral heavy, high in sugars
• Milk and dairy products

  Calcium rich and beneficial for bone development
• The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating also recommends people consume plenty of water
• Healthier fat options


  Canola spray or margarine
• 'Sometimes foods'


  Foods that are typically high in saturated and trans fats, sugars and/or alcohol. These are discretionary foods, and foods that should be eaten in moderation.
• Australian guide to healthy eating

  • Simple visual guide for all people to use as a quick reference
  • The 5 food groups can be easily understood and recognised
  • Proportions are understood
• Limitations of the Australian guide to healthy eating


  • Can be difficult to break mixed foods, such as casserole or pizza into particular groups
  • Serving sizes are not available
• Health star rating system


  • Designed to help assist Australian consumers when purchasing food products
  • Aims to help consumers choose healthier foods
• Health star rating system

  Rates foods on a scale from 0.5 to 5 stars, with 5 stars being the healthiest
• Purpose of the health star rating system


  • To create a simple solution to the consumers' question "Is this healthy?"
  • Instead of having to analyse the entire nutritional information, a quick judgement can be made from the health star rating
• How the health star rating system works

  • Based on comparing energy (kilojoules), risk nutrients and protective nutrients
  • All nutrients are compared on a basis of 'per 100g' or 'per 100mL'
  • The health star ratings are calculated in relation to other 'similar' products
• Health star rating categories


  • Yoghurt, cream
  • Dairy beverages
  • Coke, Gatorade, Juices
  • Milks
  • Non dairy beverages
  • Cheese products
  • Oils and spreads
  • Everything else
• Risk nutrient


  Any nutrient that increases the chances of developing a certain condition (e.g. saturated fat, sodium, sugars)
• Protective nutrient


  Any nutrient that acts to protect a person from a certain condition (e.g. dietary fiber, protein, proportion of fruit and vegetable, legume and nut content)
• Strengths of the health star rating system


  • Simple visual guide to use while shopping to make identifying a healthier product easier
• Limitations of the health star rating system


  • Based on nutrients, not whole foods, so a packet of lollies that has excessive sugar may have 2 stars compared to natural greek yoghurt that has only one
  • Can be abused by companies (e.g. Milo powdered drink receiving 4.5 stars by calculating on an 'as prepared basis' even though the powder alone contained 50% sugar)
• Healthy eating pyramid

  • Designed by Nutrition Australia
  • Broken down into 5 levels containing 5 different food groups
  • Each section has a different amount of space allocated within the pyramid to help signify how much each group should contribute to an individual's diet
  • Referred to as a 'more to less guide'
• 5 food groups in the healthy eating pyramid


  • Grains
  • Vegetables and Legumes
  • Fruit
  • Lean meat, Poultry
  • Milk, yoghurt, cheese
• Healthy fats in the healthy eating pyramid


  Considered at the top of the pyramid, and should be eaten in moderation
• The healthy eating pyramid also includes herbs and spices, as well as plenty of water, and recommends limited amounts of salt and added sugar
• Strengths of the healthy eating pyramid

  • Simple visual guide, including the 5 food groups, as well as healthy fats and herbs and spices to address alternatives to salt
• Limitations of the healthy eating pyramid

  • Fruit is included in the foundation layer and people may believe they can eat as much fruit as vegetables
  • Portion sizes not included so people can still overconsume