Diet and the gut microbiota: what do we know?

By Rebecca Evans

Did you know there is a third wheel in everyone’s relationship between themselves and the food they eat? This third wheel is our gut microbiota; the unique ecosystem of microorganisms residing within our intestines. While many may think their relationship with food is exclusive, emerging research is revealing that what we eat may influence our gut microbiota, which could have potential health implications⁽¹⁾. Here we have summarised the latest evidence on the relationship between our gut microbiota, health and what we know about the role of diet in this.

Health and our gut microbiota

Current research on how the gut microbiota affects our health is limited. The research is based largely on observational studies, rather than clinical trials which are considered to be the gold standard for research. Current evidence suggests a healthy gut microbiota is associated with improved immunity, reduced risk of some cancers, lower inflammation, improved bone health, vitamin synthesis, weight management and improved laxation. Comparatively an unhealthy gut microbiota caused by a microbial imbalance, termed dysbiosis, is associated with overall overweight and obesity levels, insulin resistance, leptin (an appetite hormone) resistance, high cholesterol and increased inflammation^(1-4).  While this is an emerging area of research, at this stage, it is apparent our gut microbiota is linked with our health. But what affects our gut microbiota?  

Diet and the gut microbiota

Our gut microbiota is influenced by a number of factors including age, birth mode (vaginal versus caesarean), diet, stress, antibiotic use and genetics. Furthermore, diet also influences the gut microbiota and is a modifiable factor that you can change. While our current understanding on the role of diet is also limited to observational studies, a diet that contains a variety of fibre rich plant foods appears to have a beneficial effect on the gut microbiota⁽⁵⁾.

Dietary fibres, by definition are indigestible or resist digestion, and it is fibre which appears to play a starring role when it comes to promoting beneficial gut microbiota⁽⁵⁾. In particular prebiotics, a specific type of dietary fibre, can promote the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This is known as the “prebiotic effect”.

Just like we take in food and produce waste products, our microbiota do as well. Our gut microbiota produce short chain fatty acids i.e. acetate, propionate and butyrate from the prebiotics in our diets. Short chain fatty acids have beneficial effects on our health and are associated with a reduced risk of disease, including cancer^{(3, 6)}. Eating a variety of plant foods within a high fibre diet, including whole grain and high fibre grain foods, legumes, nuts, fruit and vegetables, will ensure a varied intake of prebiotic fibres⁽⁷⁾.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms found in supplements and fermented foods^{(2, 5)}. When foods are fermented they are broken down into a simpler form by microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria⁽⁸⁾. Common fermented foods include sauerkraut (cabbage fermented with lactic acid bacteria) and yoghurt (milk fermented with lactic acid bacteria). However, what many people don’t realise is that the indigestible components of food (i.e. prebiotic fibre) actually undergoes fermentation by the gut microbiota which means fermented foods are fermented twice, once outside the body and again in the gut⁽⁸⁾.

It is possible to ferment pre-cooked grains and legumes by adding a starter culture such as whey or yoghurt⁽⁹⁾. This is usually preceded by soaking the legumes or grains in warm water in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours. Some common fermented grains and legumes include sourdough bread, miso and tempeh, which can be bought in many shops.

How to optimise your relationship with your gut microbiota

Our gut microbiota is as unique and individual as our finger prints. It’s time we recognised the third wheel between our health and diet. For many, the good news it is that it is never too late to work on the relationship with your gut microbiota. Research suggests that our gut microbiota composition can be altered through short term dietary intervention, as well as long term habitual dietary change^{(3, 10)}.

Early research suggests an optimal diet to promote beneficial gut microbiota is high in dietary fibre (prebiotics) from plant sources. This could be achieved by increasing your intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts, as well as whole grain and high fibre grain foods⁽⁶⁾. This is consistent with Australian Dietary Guidelines and GLNC’s recommendation for all Australians to enjoy grain foods 3-4 times a day, choosing at least half as whole grain or high fibre and to enjoy legumes at least 2-3 times a week.

For a range of fibre rich recipes, cooking tips and snack ideas with grains and legumes visit the GLNC website.

References

1.Flint HJ, Scott KP, Louis P, Duncan SH. The role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;9(10):577-89.

2.Graf D, Di Cagno R, Fak F, Flint HJ, Nyman M, Saarela M, et al. Contribution of diet to the composition of the human gut microbiota. Microb Ecol Health Dis. 2015;26:26164.

3.Scott KP, Gratz SW, Sheridan PO, Flint HJ, Duncan SH. The influence of diet on the gut microbiota. Pharmacol Res. 2013;69(1):52-60.

4.Guarner F. The Gut Microbiome: What Do We Know? Clinical Liver Disease. 2015;5(4):86-90.

5.Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-35.

6.Bi Y, Qin N, Yang R. Human microbiota: a neglected "organ" in precision medicine. Infectious Diseases and Translational Medicine. 2015;1(2).

7.Halmos EP, Christophersen CT, Bird AR, Shepherd SJ, Gibson PR, Muir JG. Diets that differ in their FODMAP content alter the colonic luminal microenvironment. Gut. 2015;64(1):93-100.

8.Achi OK, Ukwuru M. Cereal-Based Fermented Foods of Africa as Functional Foods. International Journal of Microbiology and Application. 2015;2(4):71-83.

9.Pinkfarm. Traditional Preparation Methods of: grains, nuts, seeds and legumes n.d. [cited 2016 18th January]. Available from: http://www.pinkfarm.com.au/real-traditions/properly-prepared-grains-nuts-seeds/.

10.David LA, Maurice CF, Carmody RN, Gootenberg DB, Button JE, Wolfe BE, et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature. 2014;505(7484):559-63.

Should We Eat Wheat?

Should We Eat Wheat?

Australians are increasingly mindful of the effect food has on health. In some cases this is a good thing as shown in a recent report where 40% of people stated one of their food priorities for the next 12 months was to eat more fruit and vegetables. Great news.

However, sometimes the temptation to label food as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is too strong and people go in search of a single food that is the cause of all modern health problems.

Grains are not immune to this, and in recent times wheat has come into the spotlight. Some people, no doubt with all the best intentions, have become suspicious that eating wheat may be causing health issues. So, what are they concerned about and are their concerns valid?

Does eating wheat lead to obesity?

The key to this piece of the puzzle is to consider the quality of the food, not just the wheat it is made with. It’s true, wheat is found in many foods that if eaten in large quantities may lead to weight gain. Foods such as pies and sausage rolls, pizza, cakes and biscuits. However, wheat is also an important ingredient in core gain foods that provide essential nutrients in our diet. These are foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, pasta and couscous. Research in Australia has shown that people who eat the recommended six serves of these core grain foods, including those made from both refined and whole grain wheat, have similar BMI and waist circumference to those who eat the least amount of core grain foods. A large number of studies also show that people who eat more whole grain and high fibre core grain foods are less likely to be obese and less likely to gain weight over time. So it is the quality of the wheat-based foods that is important rather than the wheat itself.

Has wheat changed over time, causing increased rates of coeliac disease?

There is speculation that modern varieties of wheat contain higher levels of gluten than older varieties and this change is responsible for the apparent increase in coeliac disease during the second half of the 20th century. In an age of rapid technological advances it is no wonder people question the effect of technology on the food we eat. However, we cannot let suspicion take the place of evidence. Results from a comprehensive study examining data from the 20th and 21st centuries does not support the theory that wheat breeding has increased the gluten content of wheat.

There is also the suggestion that modern wheat is ‘created by genetic research’ and this has led to the inclusion of an unnatural protein, gliadin, which is responsible for stimulating appetite and causing weight gain.  In fact, gliadins are present in all wheat lines and in related wild species. Seeds of certain ancient types of wheat have even greater amounts of total gliadin than modern varieties.

Gluten should be avoided by everyone

Some theories suggest that even in healthy people gluten causes damage to the lining of the gut, increasing permeability of the gut wall and that this leads to an autoimmune response that can cause damage to the neurological system. The effect of gluten on the gut wall is well known in people with coeliac disease. However, there is no evidence to suggest this is true for people without coeliac disease.

In fact, research on the leaky gut concept suggests it may be caused by substances which damage the gut lining including an infection, alcohol, medications, or alternatively can be associated with inflammation, untreated coeliac disease or due to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Other than in the case of untreated coeliac disease grain foods and legumes are not identified as causes of leaky gut. 

In contrast to the suggestion that grains and grain foods cause a ‘leaky gut’, there is evidence shows fibre-rich grains contain prebiotic fibres which provide a surface for beneficial bacteria to thrive on producing short chain fatty acids, such as butyrate which has a demonstrated ability to enhance the intestinal barrier function

The Bottom Line – Should we Eat Wheat?

Stories from friends or even doctors about positive health changes resulting from cutting out a food can be very compelling. In fact, research from GLNC shows that family and friends are the second strongest influence over people’s health decisions after their GP. However as Oscar Wilde once said,  “The truth is rarely pure and never simple”. 

People are right to be making decisions about what they eat based on the effect on their health. But the key is not to make quick decisions based on the experience of a few people. Instead, we need to do the more difficult thing: think carefully about the information we receive and consider all the well-designed research, both negative and positive.

So, what does the whole picture tell us about wheat? It tells us that there are a number of reasons to eat wheat-based core foods, especially whole grain and high fibre choices: you’re more likely to be a healthier weight and get the essential nutrients you need, and you’re less likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease than if you cut them out. In contrast, there is very limited evidence of the negative effects other than some compelling personal stories and anecdotes from doctors about patients.

The choice is yours.

References

IPSOS. FoodChats Annual Report 2015 – 2016. http://ipsos.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Food-CHATs-report-abridged.2016.pdf

Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC). Grains for Health. 2016. http://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Grains-for-Health-Report-FINAL.pdf

Kasarda DD. Can an increase in celiac disease be attributed to an increase in the gluten content of wheat as a consequence of wheat breeding? J Agric Food Chem. Feb 13 2013;61(6):1155-1159.

Grain Food Audit: A Credit to Core Grains

By Leish Kilpatrick

Core grain foods are a key component of the Australian diet, providing crucial nutrients for the maintenance of good health and longevity⁽¹⁾. Despite this, Australian intakes of core grain foods fall well below levels associated with favourable nutrition and health outcomes, with many Australians wrongly believing that grain foods are not an important part of a healthy diet⁽²⁾. GLNC’s recent comprehensive audit of core grain foods available in major Sydney retailers debunked this misconception and highlighted the nutrition credentials of a wide variety of core grain foods currently available to Australians⁽³⁾.

Core grain foods encompass all grain products made from whole or partially processed cereal grains such as breads, breakfast cereals, rice and pasta and are split into two categories. Refined core grain foods include white breads, pasta and rice and lower fibre breakfast cereals. Comparatively, whole grains are minimally processed grains like oats, rye, brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat, which can be found in whole grain bread, brown rice, brown pasta and whole grain crispbreads.

The 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends different amounts of grain foods depending on age and gender. These recommendations are based on the amount of essential nutrients they contain as well as a review of all the studies about grain foods and health. For all ages and genders these grain foods should be mostly whole grain or high fibre grain foods.

Age (years)	Recommended Minimum Serves
	Males	Females
2-3	4	4
4-8	4	4
9-11	5	4
12-13	6	5
14-18	7	7*
19-50	6	6*
51-70	6	4
71+	4½	3

*Higher when pregnant or lactating

However, the 2011-12 National Nutrition Survey showed that only 33% of men and 24% of women met the recommended number of serves of core grain foods for their age, and only 30% of adults met the recommendation to consume ‘mostly whole grains’⁽⁶⁾.

A secondary analysis of the 2011-12 National Nutrition Survey showed that adults who achieved current grain food recommendations and ate six or more serves of core grains per day had the highest intakes of essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, zinc, iodine, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Increasing core grain food intake was directly linked to increases in total fibre intake, with adults who ate six or more serves of core grain foods each day having almost double the fibre intake of those who ate less than two serves⁽⁴⁾.

As well as being nutrient dense, research also shows that people who choose whole grain, high fibre and low glycemic index grain foods are less likely to develop chronic disease. Large population studies show that people who eat at least three serves of whole grain and high fibre grain foods each day, such as bread and breakfast cereal, are less likely to gain weight over time or to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease⁽⁵⁾. In a recent comprehensive review, whole grain and high fibre grain foods were found to offer the greatest protection against diet-related disease, and were more protective than other plant-based food groups⁽¹⁾.

Reap the Rewards of Core Grain Foods

In 2015-2016 GLNC conducted a grain food product audit examining the nutritional profile of 1,890 core grain products available in four different retail supermarkets in the North Sydney/Cremorne area of Sydney. This information was collated into a comprehensive database of core grain foods and used to assess the percentage of products that were a source of fibre, protein and whole grain, as well as the percentage of products which were below benchmarks for sodium and sugar.

Breakfast cereals were shown to deliver essential nutrition, with almost 9 out of 10 providing a source of fibre and 65% providing a source of whole grain. While some are sceptical about the sugar and salt content of breakfast cereals, 95% met the Australian Government’s benchmark for sodium reformulation, under 400mg per 100g, and 63% met the National Healthy School Canteens Guidelines for sugar content, under 20g per 100g.

Furthermore, the humble household staple bread was shown to be more nutrient dense than many people think, with 76% of loaf breads being a source of fibre (70% of white and 94% of wholemeal), 31% a source of whole grain and a surprising 81% a source of plant-protein. While some Australians believe that everyday sliced bread contains sugar, the GLNC audit showed that 95% of white and wholemeal loaves were low in sugar, containing less than a teaspoon in total.

What about other grain products such as pasta, noodles, couscous and rice? Well, the audit found that nearly half (45%) of pasta, noodles and couscous, and almost a third (29%) of rice products were a source of fibre. A massive 91% of grains such as quinoa, freekah and buckwheat provide a source of whole grain. The majority of these grain products were low in both sugar and sodium, making them a great choice at any meal.

Finally, the audit showed that whole grain goodness also makes a satisfying snack with 42% of crispbreads and more than half of rice cakes and corn cakes being considered a source of whole grains. Crispbreads are also a great way to boost your fibre intake with almost half (45%) being a source of fibre.

Many Australians may be missing out on the nutrients and health benefits associated with eating core grain foods, particularly whole grain and high fibre varieties. Ongoing innovation and development of these core grain food categories means that there is a huge selection to choose from to suit all individual tastes and preferences.

By meeting the recommended number of core grain food serves and opting for whole grain options more often, Aussies could enjoy higher fibre intakes and a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes⁽⁴⁾.

Eating six serves of grain foods in a day is as easy as a bowl of high fibre breakfast cereal in the morning, a whole grain sandwich at lunch and a meal with a cup of cooked brown rice at dinner. Visit the GLNC website for the full 2016 Grains for Health Report and for great core grain meal ideas.

References

1.Fardet A, Boirie Y. Associations between food and beverage groups and major diet-related chronic diseases: an exhaustive review of pooled/meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Nutrition reviews. 2014;72(12):741-62.

2.GLNC. 2014 Australian Grains and Legumes Consumption and Attitudinal Report. Unpublished: 2014.

3.GLNC. GLNC 2015-2016 Grains and Legumes Product Audit. Unpublished: Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council 2016.

4.Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council. Grains for Health Report 2016. Available from: http://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Grains-for-Health-Report-FINAL.pdf.

5.NHMRC. Australian Dietary Guidelines Providing the scientific evidence for healthier Australian diets. 2013 Accessed online January 2014.

6.ABS. 2011-2012 Australian Health Survey: Consumption of food groups from the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 2011–12 — Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016.

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The big three nutrition trends we can expect to see in 2016

By Sarah Hyland, AIFST General Manager of Industry Services

Messages around nutrition can be overwhelming, so overwhelming in fact that many consumers are left confused about which product they should choose. By the same token, it’s confusing for food manufacturers when choosing what nutritional messaging to include on their product.

For food manufacturers, a product that is naturally functional – that provides benefits that are intrinsic to that food or beverage – is the Holy Grail for consumer nutritional messaging. With regular and positive attention given to naturally functional foods by the media, very little in the way of overt health claims is required for these products.

So potent is the idea of ‘naturally healthy’ that many consumers will even overlook the energy value of a food! Dark chocolate, olive oils, red wine and nuts are good examples.

So what can we expect to be some of the top emerging naturally functioning foods throughout 2016?

1. Beans: more than ‘good for your heart’

Beans are a significant part of traditional diets in a number of countries, shifting from an overnight soaker to a convenient and tasty snack food.

Beans are high in soluble fibre and protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as copper, folate and iron, as well as being low in fat, low GI, gluten free and containing no cholesterol.

Beans are enjoying some serious time in the spotlight this year with 2016 being the UN-declared International Year of Pulses.

2. Sweetness: that sugar ingredient

Thanks to its suspected role in obesity, inflammation and disease in general, sugar has become the smoking gun of the food industry and consumers are rejecting sugar almost as much as high kilojoule foods.

Artificial sweeteners have been the main response to these barriers, although alternatives such as aspartame and phenylalanine are now undesirable for consumers as well. Stevia, the natural alternative to sugar, has not been as popular as early backers had hoped.

While consumers say they do want less sugar in food and beverages, many prefer it to be from a natural ingredient that’s easy to understand, such as honey.

There is even some evidence that globally consumers are shifting away from sweetness and perhaps even lowering their sweetness threshold, evidenced by the growth in savoury snacking.

3. Free from: is there anything left to avoid?

Gluten free has been a significant growth trend in recent years, although the key growth opportunity for the trend over the next 3 – 5 years is likely to be in dairy-free and lactose-free products. The strong growth of nut milks is evidence of a fast-growing dairy-free message.

Many naturopaths and personal trainers default to a dairy-free diet as a prescription for dealing with weight or digestive problems. Interestingly, when many people reduce, dairy or lactose, they report feeling the benefit – and feeling the benefit is one of the biggest motivators for anyone to buy a healthier product.

As with gluten free, the lactose-free concept is that it delivers a benefit that the consumer can quickly see or feel.

Whole Grain Intake for Infants and Toddlers

With a consensus reached at the Centre for Food & Allergy Research (CFAR) Australian Infant Feeding Guidelines Summit on recommended updates to current Australian infant feeding guidelines, parents have been provided with greater clarity on infant feeding. However, one area of infant feeding which is less clearly defined is the role of whole grain in early nutrition.

GLNC’s Nutrition Program Manager, Chris Cashman, outlines the recent recommended updates in infant feeding guidelines and discusses the challenges of providing specific whole grain recommendations for infants.

Starting a healthy habit with whole grains in early life

At the recent Centre for Food & Allergy Research (CFAR) Australian Infant Feeding Guidelines Summit, held in May, a resounding agreement was reached by all participants who included key research and industry bodies, on updates to Australian infant feeding advice. While the updates translate the available evidence to optimise food allergy management and treatments, they apply to all infants and include the following recommendations to change the current Australian infant feeding guidelines:

1)      When your infant is ready, at around 6 months, but not before 4 months, start to introduce a variety of solid foods, starting with iron rich foods, while continuing breastfeeding.

2)      All infants should be given allergenic solid foods including peanut butter, cooked egg and dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants at high risk of allergy.

This consensus provides parents, educators and health professionals with more clarify around the introduction of foods in the first year of life, however one aspect of infant feeding recently brought to GLNC’s attention as part of the annual review of the Code of Practice for Whole Grain Ingredient Content Claims, is that there is a lack of guidance for parents and educators when it comes to whole grain food recommendations for infants (7-12 months).

The absence of a specific guidance on whole grain food intake recommendations in infant feeding guidelines is a reflection of the lack of research on whole grain intakes of children and health.  In consultation with paediatric Accredited Practising Dietitians, GLNC determined that a specific whole grain ingredient content claim or recommendation for infants (7 – 12 months) was not appropriate to be included in the GLNC Code of Practice for Whole Grain Ingredient Content Claims.  This is based on the fact that infants are highly variable in their development so requirements will vary. A set recommendation will not be applicable to all infants and may lead a parent to feed their child amounts of whole grain beyond their needs and thus increase risk of excessive fibre intakes (and risk of constipation or satiation leading to suboptimal breastmilk intake).  

However, while advice around whole grain food intake is not specified in infant feeding guidelines, this is not to say that whole grain foods such as wholemeal bread, rusks or other cereals cannot be offered in alignment with infant feeding guidelines to infants in their first year of life. Australian infant feeding guidelines encourage parents to start to introduce a variety of solid foods, when an infant is ready, at around 6 months but not before 4 months, while continuing breastfeeding. Guidelines suggest starting with iron rich foods which can include grain foods and legumes. When it comes to whole grain choices, GLNC encourages the inclusion of some whole grain foods in to the diet of infants to promote healthy habits from a young age. Parents should however be aware of choking risks of intact grains.

Beyond the first year of life, for generally healthy toddlers dietary recommendations are based around choosing a variety of foods within each food group, at an appropriate overall intake for an individual child to support their growth and development, avoiding choking hazards. Offering whole grain foods from an early age, contributes towards the whole grain Daily Target Intake (DTI) for children 1-3 years which is 24 grams and the DTI for children 4- 8 years which is 32-40 grams.

The current Infant Feeding Guidelines can be found here and more information on this recent summit and recommendation can be found here.

NEW DATA: What’s Actually in Your Breakfast Cereal?

In 2015-2016 GLNC conducted a grain food product audit, examining the nutritional profile of 420 breakfast cereals found in four different retail supermarkets in the North Sydney/Cremorne area of Sydney⁽¹⁾. This comprehensive analysis included 165 ready-to-eat cereals, 182 mueslis (inc. granola and cluster products) and 73 hot cereals (i.e. rolled oats, porridge). The review used on pack information, including nutrition information, claims, logo and ingredients to determine content of fibre, protein, sodium, sugars and whole grains per serve and per 100g.

The audit confirmed the important role of the breakfast cereal category in delivering essential nutrition.

·         Almost 9 out of 10 breakfast cereals were a source of fibre (≥2g fibre per serve)

·         65% of breakfast cereals were a source of whole grain (≥8g whole grain per serve)

·         59% of breakfast cereals provided more than one-third of the whole grain daily intake (48g) in just one serve

·         35% of breakfast cereals were a source of plant-based protein (≥5g protein per serve).

But what about sugar and sodium?

• 95% of breakfast cereals met the Australian Government’s benchmark for sodium reformulation set at 400mg/100g or less. 61% of breakfast cereals were low in sodium (≤120mg/100g)
• 63% of breakfast cereals met the National Healthy School Canteens Guidelines for ‘Healthier Choice’ breakfast, with less than 20g of sugar per 100g.

According to the GLNC 2014 Grains and Legumes Consumption and Attitudinal study, 58% of Australians consume breakfast cereals, with wheat biscuits followed by flaked cereals and plain porridge/oats, being the most popular options⁽²⁾.

The most comprehensive review of the nutrition and health effects of breakfast cereals to date, which included more than 230 papers over 30 years, reinforced the important role that breakfast cereals make as core grain foods to nutrition and health outcomes⁽³⁾:

Children and adults who ate breakfast cereal regularly:

• Had better quality diets and better nutritional status
• Lower body mass index and lower risk of overweight and obesity

Regular whole grain and/or high fibre breakfast cereal consumption was associated with:

• Lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Improved digestive wellbeing.

The 2015-2016 GLNC audit will be discussed in further detail, with a closer look at the nutritional content of breads, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous, crispbreads and rice/corn cakes at the upcoming GLNC event - the ‘Grains for Health Forum’ on 22 June. The Grains for Health Report will also be made available online on the GLNC website following the event. To register your interest for the event, please email contactus@glnc.org.au. However, places are limited.

References

1.            GLNC. GLNC 2015 Grains and Legumes Product Audit. Unpublished: Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council 2016.

2.            GLNC. 2014 Australian Grains and Legumes Consumption and Attitudinal Report. Unpublished: 2014.

3.            Williams PG. The Benefits of Breakfast Cereal Consumption: A Systematic Review of the Evidence Base. Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal. 2014;5(5):636S-73S.

New ABS Data: How the Australian Diet Compares with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Consumption of Added Sugars

Using data collected as part of the most recent National Nutrition Survey (2011-12) the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has published a comprehensive comparison of Australians usual food intakes and the Australian Dietary Guidelines, as well as an analysis of the source of added sugars in Australians diets.

Consumption of Food Groups from the Australian Dietary Guidelines

On the 12 May the ABS published the first ever comparison of the National Nutrition Survey with the Australian Dietary Guidelines⁽¹⁾.

The majority of Australians fell short of their grain food serve recommendations, consuming on average 4.5 serves of grain foods per day, with 18.3% coming from nutrient poor discretionary choices (i.e. cakes, muffins, pizza and pies). Of particular concern is that only 8.5% of women aged 19-30 years met the recommended number of serves of core grain foods a day, which means that women in this age group are not eating enough whole grain and high fibre grain foods for good health and nutrition.

The data also shows that only 34% of grain food consumption was from whole grain or high fibre grain foods. No age group met the recommendation for two thirds of grains as whole grain or high fibre grain foods. These results are concerning as the scientific evidence shows that people who eat at least three serves a day of whole grain and high fibre grain foods are at a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, as well as being less likely to gain weight⁽²⁾.

With all the messages in the media about what constitutes a healthy diet, people may be confused about grains, which could be contributing to intakes falling short of recommendations. What is even more concerning is that the GLNC Consumption and Attitudinal Study⁽³⁾ shows that between 2011 and 2014 Australians reduced their core grain food intakes by approximately 30%, based on belief that these foods do not contribute important nutrition or health benefits. In contrast to this misconception, the National Nutrition Survey demonstrated that grain foods are the leading contributors of key essential nutrients in the Australian diet including fibre, B vitamins, iron, magnesium and iodine⁽⁴⁾.

GLNC is concerned that Australians are not meeting the recommendations for a balanced diet. Australians should be encouraged to choose core grain foods over discretionary options, with a preference for whole grain and high fibre grain foods most of the time.

Consumption of Added Sugars

On the 27 April the ABS published their first ever an analysis of the intakes of added sugar in the Australian diet⁽⁵⁾. With all the attention around added sugar in the media of late, this analysis adds a weight of evidence to the discussion.

An estimated one in two Australians exceeding the World Health Organisation’s recommendation that free sugars contribute to less than 10% total energy intake⁽⁵⁾. The largest source of free sugars in the Australian diet comes from discretionary (or ‘treat’) foods and drinks (81%), such as cakes, muffins, confectionery, sweetened drinks. Core grain foods (breakfast cereals, breads, pasta, other cereal grains) were shown to only contribute a small percentage of the total proportion of free sugars (3.4%), with breakfast cereals only contributing 3%, fruit/nut/seed bars 0.1% and muesli or cereal style bars 0.8%.

Australians should not cut down on nutrient-rich core foods, which may contain naturally occurring sugars or low levels of added sugars. These core foods are an important part of a balanced diet that provides nutrients essential to health and wellbeing. Instead, people should focus on reducing their intake of discretionary foods and drinks, which is likely the most effective way to reduce intake of added sugars. 

Note: Free sugars include sugars added during food and beverage processing and preparation, as well as those naturally present in honey, dried fruit and fruit juice.

For more information: http://www.abs.gov.au/australianhealthsurvey

References

1.            ABS. 2011-2012 Australian Health Survey: Consumption of food groups from the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 2011–12 — Australia. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016.

2.            NHMRC. Australian Dietary Guidelines Providing the scientific evidence for healthier Australian diets. 2013 Accessed online January 2014.

3.            GLNC. 2014 Australian Grains and Legumes Consumption and Attitudinal Report. Unpublished: 2014.

4.            ABS. National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014-15.

5.            ABS. Australian Health Survey: Consumption of added sugars, 2011-12  Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016.