Australia's Struggles with the Nutritional Problems of Its Citizens

Compare and Contrast the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating with ONE other International Food Model(Spain, Japan, Canada)

“We cant close the gap on health unless we talk about nutrition”. The issue of food security can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of individuals and families in Australia, there are a number of different groups who are more vulnerable to food insecurity than others, due to social whereabouts. Food insecurities is defined as “ access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life” by saying this Australia has been shown as food secure but this has people asking “why are certain groups and cultures running out of food to feed there families through out the year, if we are food secure?’ about 5% of Australians suffer from food insecurities this is usually caused by the access they have to food or the inadequate food

In medical terminology, while a person with a BMI of 30 and over 30 is considered as obese. It can refer to abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that reflect in health risks (Australia’s health 2016). Obesity as a one of the more serious health issue in Australia has influence millions of people’s daily life and work. It also as one of the biggest challenges to the society and public health system.

I chose to address the questions what are the strengths and weaknesses of the American diet, as well as, what is distinctive about American food. I chose these questions to focus my research paper on because of the relationship between the American diet and health care. The United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, due to immigration, which is what makes it so distinctive. The diet also has many flaws including the cause for rising medical issues. I have a pre-nursing major, so diet plays a big role in the medical field. My purpose for researching the American diet is to be able to…. With the Industrial Revolution, the inventions of many new products such as processed foods, refrigerators, and fast food chains.

Food insecurity is defined as “the lack of access to enough food to ensure adequate nutrition.”1 The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reported that 14.6% of US households were food insecure during at least some portion of 2008 (up 11.1% from 2007), the highest levels recorded since monitoring began in 1995.2 Food insecurity is a concern of under consumption and obesity is a disease of over consumption, yet both outcomes may coexist, seemingly incongruously, within the same household.2 The most popular explanation is that low-cost, energy-dense foods linked to obesity are favored by financially constrained households, who are the most likely to be food insecure.2 Another theory, focusing on environmental context net of individual circumstance, argues that obesity and insecurity are both symptoms of malnutrition, occurring in neighborhoods where nutritious foods are unavailable or unaffordable.2 A separate literature researches environmental roles in poor nutritional outcomes, recent studies link obesity as well as atherosclerosis and diabetes to the food environment, the local context of available food items.2 The theory is that local inaccessibility to healthy foods influences diet composition, a claim supported by evidence.2 Especially in poorer neighborhoods, food options are often limited to fast food restaurants, convenience stores, or grocery stores more poorly stocked both in

Apart from the economic and institution driven implications of obesity on the Canadian federal system, the issue of obesity also targets the social circle of Canadian media, culture, values and global reputation. If the federal government does not take an active step in the stop against unhealthy eating, bad life style choices and obesity then the problem will continue to escalate. Public policy can be used to bring awareness to issues that effect and benefit many. There was an important study documented in the European journal of public health that suggests, “one in three obese children might not have been obese in the absence of advertising for unhealthy food on TV. Limiting the exposure of children to marketing of energy-dense food could be part of a broader effort to make children 's diets healthier”(Veerman 1). This shocking statistic is directly linked to the normalization of obesity and an unhealthy diet that the media has continued to promote.

Obesity can be defined as being 20% or more over the ideal body weight for your age and height. It is a chronic disease that can lead to a number of different illnesses and other diseases . These potentially deadly illnesses include diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, coronary vascular disease, heart attack, stroke, sleep apnoea and even cancer. Obesity is becoming more common in Australia as we speak with 10% more adults being overweight or obese in Australia than in 1995. According to recent statistics 63% of adults and 1 in 4 Australian children are overweight or obese.

According to the Australian institute of health and welfare ‘Good health is an important element in a child’s quality of life as it can influence participation in many aspects of the life, including school and physical education’. A poor start to a child’s life increases the outcome to a poor adult life, with 24.9% of children aged from 5-17years already overweight or obese. These statistics are based on The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), who have developed a standard age and sex-specific Body Mass Index (BMI) cut off point. Australian children are consuming less nutritional food, and instead eating more food and drinks that fall under the ‘red food’ category and foods that are not advised for daily intake on the Australian

Food insecurity is a growing problem in Australia’s modern society even though many of us do not even realise. Nutrition is important for a healthy life style but when only two thirds of the land is actually farmable we start to see that less then 4% of people are actually getting all the nutrients needed, to actually be healthy. With Australian soil lacking phosphorus and nitrogen we find it harder to grow crops meaning more people in Australia are going hungry, or starting to become food insecure then there should be. Many factors can lead to someone becoming food insecure, these factors include; climate change, land degradation and water scarcity. Whilst Australia is still a food secure nation there are still many issues threatening our food security.

Overweight is fast becoming an ubiquitous trait in Australia. According to the 2005 National Health Survey, 53.6% of Australians reported being overweight, defined as having a Body-Mass Index (BMI) of over 25%. (AIHW, 2005, p. 182). This is partly caused by diets which are high in saturated fat and dependent on processed foods over fresh foods. It is also caused by a continuously sedentary lifestyle, as most Australians perform their job sitting down in an office setting and are, furthermore, compelled stay tethered to their computers lest they miss an important communication.

In our group assessment we all decided to research obesity and the affects it is having on the Australian population. This subject was good for me, I had already researched the topic before, this allowed me to really get a deeper understanding of the topic and find a way to show how much of problem for generations to deal with. Obesity is a growing problem in Australia with almost 63% of all Australians being obese and 10% more people overweight than in 1995.

The European government policy has corrupted Aboriginal lifestyle which effects major changes in diet, nutrition, and physical activity. A policy of assimilation where the forced removal of Aboriginal children is to integrate into white society is to obligatory ‘’to live in the same way and hold the same beliefs as white Australians’’ (Wiliam, n.d.). This leads to children being exposed to today’s Westernised cuisine that lacks fiber and is rich in fat and sugar (‘’Prevention and Management’’, 2018), therefore can increase the reliance of fast food and promoting diabetes. Moreover, it misguides the importance of correct nutrition and the ability to cook and learn healthier options. According to Woodward, ‘’chemical analysis has demonstrated

First established in 1976 the DAA provides national, state and territory support to the Australian community, The organisation’s vision is to ensure that individuals within the community receive strong leadership in food and nutrition, aimed at achieving a healthier and happier nation (Dietitians Association of Australia, 2015a). With obesity in the Australian community affecting two in every three individuals the need for support in nutrition is paramount (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014). The DAA therefore plays a fundamental role in supporting the Australian population, as they are the key party that regulates dietetic and nutrition

People eat fast food because it is quick, accessible, tasty, inexpensive and time-saving. This was confirmed by a study of six hundred people living in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region of America. They were each offered a fast-food meal, after which they were asked to agree or disagree with eleven statements about why they eat fast food. However, fast food is a leading cause of disease. This issue is relevant to all Australians. How so? According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Australia has the fifth-highest obesity rates of any country anywhere in the world, at a very high figure of 24.6 percent. This means that almost one in every four citizens is clinically overweight.

The first reason Hastings et al., mention is the weight gain as a result of eating food with insufficient calories. Hastings et al., stresses that almost 50 % of the population from Samoa has been diagnosed with obesity when compared to 30 years ago. In other words, the number of obesity has increased due to the people choices of consuming canned corned beef, popular in England. However, the authors do not detail if this source of obesity is only related to the canned beef consumption, presumably there might be some unclear evidences that played roles in gaining weight. By the same token, the authors also remark that a similar case had been noted in Fiji due to the swap from the production of their own fresh fruits and vegetables practices to canned soda and sheep fat