Why Should We Eat Healthy Food: a Case of Australian Food

Australia’s food industry has developed to become one of the most diverse and cultured in the world, with an abundance of meals from all parts of the world to choose from. With this wide range of items that are available to us comes with both nutritious and healthy food and unhealthy junk food. Why should we as Australians eat healthy food? I will think about this in the essay as this topic is bothering me due to possible impact of unhealthy food consumption on future generations.

Impact of Unhealthy Food Consumption Patterns

The food and beverages we eat, and drink play a significant and important role in our overall health and wellbeing. Diets that provide insufficient or excessive amounts of energy, nutrients and other components can result in ill health and the development of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart disease and high blood pressure, all of which can be fatal if not taken care of properly.

Less than 1 in 10 adults met the recommendations for daily food consumption in 2018 according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. This may be due to many factors including that a full-time job means less time to prepare healthy meals and that fast food is more accessible then it was a decade ago.

While we definitely have highly varied diets, one of the most concerning aspects of Australian eating habits is the amount we consume junk food and highly processed snacks, also known as discretionary food. In fact, an alarming 35% of our average energy intake falls into this category, meaning that instead of our bodies gaining energy from healthy food such as fruit or carbohydrates, we are getting the majority of our energy from food sources that are considered unhealthy as they are full of sugar or fat. It was also discovered that the average Australian adult consumes between 2.5 and 3 kilograms of food per day, which is higher than the global average.

Even worse, children aged between 14 and 18 get 41% of their total energy intake from discretionary food. It’s easy to blame the parents after hearing the statistic above but there are a lot of advertisements that make eating poorly seem alright to kids, and not a lot of positive nutrition advice out there which is due to the lack of health awareness in the food manufacturing industry.

Our food consumption patterns aren’t all negative though, as while our existing habits could improve, positive trends such as vegetarianism or veganism are influencing Australians to improve their diets and commit to a healthier lifestyle that includes more exercise and limitations on the amount of unhealthy food that is consumed, with the CSIRO finding that 10% more Australians than in 2018 are getting their protein needs from dairy and plant based items rather than meat, which is not only healthier for your body, but helps the environment too.

Overall, the food consumption patterns in Australia could significantly improve through a more exercise rich and strict diet that limits the consumption of junk food and promotes eating nutritious food, especially to children as by doing this, the obesity epidemic that has been growing every year in Australia could finally decrease, leaving room for more happy and healthy Australians.

Popular Food Items in Australia

Prawns are small aquatic crustaceans that are a popular dish that is a favourite and a household staple in Australia that are eaten at barbecues, picnics and dinners. Seafood dishes like prawns are often popular because of the abundance of sea-life like prawn in the seas surrounding Australia, meaning that they are common and therefore an item that has boundless availability.

Lamingtons are a loved bakery item across Australia. After originating in 1900, they instantly became a household favourite among Australian adults and children. This is because they are a sweet treat that is easily found at any bakery, which makes it a convenient snack.

A roast, whether it be with chicken, beef or pork, is a classic meal at dinner for Australian families. It usually consists of meat, potatoes, sweet potato and carrots, making it a well-rounded meal that is popular among families due to its simplicity and taste.

Tim Tams are a classic Australian made biscuit that has a chocolate flavour. They are extremely popular because most people grew up with them and love the taste.

A meat pie is a popular Australian food that has beef mince on the inside encased by pastry on the outside, and is usually topped off with a condiment such as tomato sauce. This is a favourite as it is an easy and convenient meal that you can place in the oven and quickly have a snack.

A sausage on a roll, also known as a ‘snag’ or ‘sausage sizzle’, is a sausage placed on a piece of bread often topped with tomato sauce or cooked onions. It is a favourite in Australia as it is easy to make and can be found at places such as sports field on the weekends.

Factors Which Influence What We Eat

What we eat is influenced by a number of factors such as biological, economic, psychological and cultural determinants. Biological factors include things such as our hunger, palatability and sensory aspects. Humans need energy and nutrients in order to survive and will respond to the feelings of hunger. The central nervous system is involved in controlling the balance between hunger, appetite stimulation and food intake and when you are hungry, you will eat a larger quantity of food because your body needs it. Palatability also plays a role in determining what you eat as when you eat something that you like, a chemical is released from your brain called serotonin, which makes you feel happy. Your body then associates the taste of that certain food with feelings of pleasure and wants more of it to feel good. Sensory aspects are influenced by things such as a like for sweetness or a dislike for bitterness. For example, a child is more likely to go for a sweet item rather than a savoury one because sweetness is a preferable taste.

Economic factors include cost, accessibility and education or knowledge. Those who are conscious of their money and manage their money well know that a middle-class person can often not afford to eat out every single night as it would cost a lot, so those who aim to save money often buy the cheaper option. For example, if a university student was going to eat out, they would choose a cheap fast food restaurant rather than a fancy restaurant as they want to save money, which often leads them to choose the unhealthy option as it is usually the cheapest. People also like accessibility and convenience when it comes to food as they don’t want to have to prepare a meal from scratch after a day of work, which again often leads them to pick up take-away food or eat pre-packaged meals. Another factor is knowledge, as someone who was able to afford education as an adolescent would know more about the nutritional value of food and the necessary nutrients needed for the body than someone with a lower form of education. This allows educated people to have the ability to make the right decisions when it comes to their diet.

Psychological factors include things such as mood, stress and guilt. Studies suggest that if work stress is frequent, then negative dietary changes could result, increasing the possibility of weight gain and consequently health risks as when we eat food that makes us feel good due to a release of serotonin, we eat more of it when we are feeling down to try and make ourselves feel better. The act of eating due to stress or guilt also leads to obesity as we often eat junk food and overeat to try and compensate for our feelings.

Cultural factors such as religion, diet restrictions and tradition influence what we eat. In the Muslim religion, many don’t eat pork as their religious book, the Quran, forbids it and in the Hindus religion, they don’t eat beef as they believe that the animals should be worshipped and left unharmed. Diet restrictions such as lactose intolerance, coeliac disease and vegetarianism or veganism prevent those with the conditions and beliefs from eating vital sections of the 6 nutrients needed in the body (protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fats and water) which can be detrimental if not supplied through another item of food. Many countries also follow tradition and eat what their ancestors ate, such as African people with Gumbo stew and Scottish people with Haggis.

Final Thoughts

Are we eating better or worse? Overall, I believe that now you also understand why should we eat healthy food. In Australia we are eating both better and worse. We are eating better because we have become a lot more involved with the idea of becoming a vegan or vegetarian which has impacted our diets positively as we now know the effects that non -organic food has on our health. It also promotes eating many more fruit and vegetables, which is needed for Australian adults in particular because less than 1 in 10 get the daily recommended amount. We are eating worse because of the growing availability and convenience of dining out. Because there are so many more fast food chains around such as McDonalds and KFC, there is more reason to stop off and eat at one of these places more and more often, which adds to the growing obesity epidemic in Australia today due to our bodies not getting the nutrients we need. 

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). National Health Survey: First Results, 2017-18. Australian Government.

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2019). A Picture of Overweight and Obesity in Australia, 2017-18. Australian Government.

3. World Health Organization. (2017). Global Nutrition Policy Review: Country Progress in Creating Enabling Policy Environments for Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition. WHO Press.

4. Dixon, J., Banwell, C., Hinde, S., & Sibthorpe, B. (2015). Expenditure on discretionary food and beverages by Australian households, 1980-2010. Public Health Nutrition, 18(15), 2901-2909.

5. Rangan, A. M., Schindeler, S., Hector, D. J., Gill, T. P., & Webb, K. L. (2009). Consumption of 'extra' foods by Australian adults: types, quantities and contribution to energy and nutrient intakes. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63(7), 865-871.

6. Department of Health. (2021). Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. Australian Government.

7. Kellett, E., Smith, A., & Schmerlaib, Y. (2012). The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating: Background Information for Nutrition Educators. Australian Government.

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8. Pulker, C. E., Trapp, G. S., Scott, J. A., & Pollard, C. M. (2018). What are the position and power of supermarkets in the Australian food system, and the implications for public health? A systematic scoping review. Obesity Reviews, 19(2), 198-218.