by Amy Peatling
We All Scream for Ice Cream
Cake, chocolate, chips, soda, ice cream, butter, juice. We know them. We love them. But are these indulgent foods doing us any good? Discretionary foods have a high energy content and are not necessary for us to meet our nutrient requirements. So, it’s staggering that the Australian population consume around one third of their energy in the form of these foods, Australian teenagers exceeding this with their diet consisting of a whopping 41%. Australians consistently exceeding the recommended intake of salt, added sugar and saturated fats. Consumption of discretionary foods means we are eating less foods from recommended food groups
like fruit and vegetables, as discretionary foods are often consumed in place of their more nutritious counterparts.
Cheap as Chips
The reasons behind our overindulgence in these foods encompass everything from taste, preference, marketing and advertising to food insecurity, cost and socioeconomic status. Those living in areas of higher socioeconomic status consume less discretionary foods and more nutrients than those in areas of lower socioeconomic status. Discretionary foods are more affordable and more accessible, with golden arches and red buckets scattered on corners across the country.
The Burgers are Better at… Increasing Our Risk of Chronic Disease?
Around 67% of Australian adults are overweight or obese. A chilling fact that may have some of us questioning if we’d like fries with that after all.
Overconsumption of added sugars and saturated fat in discretionary food contributes largely to excess weight gain. Obesity can lead to chronic health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. By reducing consumption of discretionary foods, we would see a higher consumption of more nutritious foods from recommended food groups in their place, leading to a potential decrease in obesity and chronic disease risk among Australians.
Butter Late Than Never:
Our environment and its resources are continually exhausted via production and manufacturing of discretionary foods, increasing greenhouse gas emissions from packaging, processing, beef production and landfill. Hope is not lost though, and we can all contribute to reducing the effects of climate change by more carefully considering what we put on our plates, ensuring it includes less discretionary foods and more sustainable and healthy choices. This action would minimise unnecessary steps from farm to plate that so catastrophically impact the environment.
The Solutions Donut Come Easy:
Considering key food choice drivers is an intrinsic factor in working toward a solution. Advertising, marketing, socioeconomic status and education all play a role in our overconsumption of discretionary foods. Policy makers need to consider what role both cost and advertising have and the eventual consequences on human and environmental health. Many policies are in place downstream including schools and universities, implementing changes in foods and facilities available on site. However stronger upstream efforts are required at a government level to influence change on a larger scale. Healthier food choices need to be made easier to access for all as convenience plays an essential role in food choice. Less advertising of unhealthy foods as well as education around nutrition is fundamental for current and future generations to encourage healthier food choice.
Deakin Aims to Ketchup:
Deakin Food Charter is a well-rounded policy implemented on an institutional level that aims to provide diversity and inclusivity in foods offered and encourage healthier food choices. The charter impacts discretionary food choice through 5 pillars that factor in health, convenience, sustainability, education and balance around food. Healthy alternatives are available in vending machines, catering for various events on campus can incorporate healthy and sustainable seasonal produce. Retail of food offers various portion sizes, sustainable packaging, reasonable pricing, free tap water, diversity in options and an informative traffic light classification system to help customers better understand the nutritional values of their food sources.
References:
- Nutrition across the life stages, Summary – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [Internet]. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2021 [cited 18 December 2021]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/nutrition-across-the-life-stages/summary
- Colored Sprinkle Donut Selection [Internet]. 2018 [cited 15 December 2021]
- McDonalds Meal Deal Advertisment [Internet]. 2017 [cited 15 December 2021]
- Appelhans B, Milliron B, Woolf K, Johnson T, Pagoto S, Schneider K et al. Socioeconomic Status, Energy Cost, and Nutrient Content of Supermarket Food Purchases. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2012;42(4):398-402
- Man With Burger and Fries [Internet]. 2019 [cited 15 December 2021]
- Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg E, Flanders W, Merritt R, Hu F. Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2014;174(4):516.
- Wind Energy in Field with Rainbow [Internet]. 2020 [cited 15 December 2021]
- House, Clock, Coin and Greens [Internet]. 2018 [cited 15 December 2021]
- Appelhans B, Milliron B, Woolf K, Johnson T, Pagoto S, Schneider K et al. Socioeconomic Status, Energy Cost, and Nutrient Content of Supermarket Food Purchases. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2012;42(4):398-402
- Food And Vegetable Selection In Case [Internet]. 2020 [cited 15 December 2021]
- Vartanian L, Schwartz M, Brownell K. Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Public Health. 2007;97(4):667-675.
- 6. Food Charter – Food & Hospitality @ Deakin [Internet]. Food & Hospitality @ Deakin. 2021 [cited 18 December 2021]. Available from: https://food.deakin.edu.au/food-charter
