Posted: October 10th, 2023

Assessment of Diet Quality Against Australian Dietary

In this assessment you will assess the provided diet history against the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG)and Australian Food Composition Database to determine diet quality and identity what micronutrient the case study may be at risk of consuming in excess or suboptimal amounts.
###
Assessment of Diet Quality Against Australian Dietary Guidelines
This paper will assess a provided diet history against the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) to determine diet quality and identify any micronutrients that may be consumed in inadequate or excessive amounts. The ADG are evidence-based recommendations developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council to promote good nutrition for all Australians (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013).
The diet history under examination consists of a typical daily intake comprising breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Breakfast includes one piece of toast with vegemite, providing one serving from the grain foods group. Lunch is a ham and cheese sandwich, contributing one serving of grains and one serving of protein foods. Dinner is a pasta bolognese, offering 1.5 servings of grains, one serving of protein and 0.5 servings of vegetables. Snacking consists of one banana for 0.5 servings of fruit and a packet of chips as a discretionary choice. Beverages are limited to two litres of soft drink per day.
Analysis of this diet against the Australian Food Composition Database reveals several areas of concern. Fruit and vegetable intake falls short of the ADG recommendation for two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables daily (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013). The diet provides only one serving of fruit and half a serving of vegetables. Fibre intake is also low due to limited whole grain and plant-based foods like legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Adults require 25-30 grams of fibre per day for bowel health and chronic disease prevention (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013).
Discretionary choices high in saturated fat, sugar and/or salt dominate the diet. Chips and soft drink make up a large portion of daily energy intake. The ADG advise restricting these non-core, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods to prevent weight gain, dental caries and chronic diseases (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013; Heart Foundation, 2022).
In conclusion, the provided diet history fails to meet several ADG recommendations. Key areas for improvement include increasing serves of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains to address inadequate fibre and micronutrient levels. Reducing discretionary options in favor of core foods like plain water is also advised. A tailored nutrition care plan could support achieving a balanced diet aligned with Australian dietary guidelines.

References
National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-dietary-guidelines. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). National Health Survey: First Results, 2020-21. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-first-results/latest-release. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.
Heart Foundation. (2022). Position Statement: Dietary Patterns and Cardiovascular Health. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/statements/dietary-patterns-and-cardiovascular-health. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.