Food-Selection Models and Other Tools to Promote Healthy Eating Among Youth (VCE SSCE Health and Human Development): Revision Notes
Food-Selection Models and Other Tools to Promote Healthy Eating Among Youth
Introduction to food-selection models
Food-selection models are practical tools designed to help young people make informed choices about what they eat. These models assist youth in selecting foods that meet their nutritional needs while avoiding excessive consumption of energy-dense foods that may lead to health issues. In Australia, several food-selection models and tools have been developed by both government and non-government agencies with the shared goal of promoting balanced diets and reducing the short-term and long-term health consequences associated with nutritional imbalance.
The term "energy-dense" refers to foods that provide a high number of kilojoules (energy) relative to their weight or volume. These foods are often high in fats and/or sugars, making it easy to consume excess energy without feeling full.
There are three main food-selection models and tools used in Australia to promote healthy eating among youth:
- Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
- Health Star Rating System
- Healthy Eating Pyramid
Each of these tools takes a different approach to presenting nutritional information, but all aim to make healthy food choices easier and more accessible for young Australians.
Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
Overview and purpose
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is a federal government initiative that provides nutrition advice to help Australians, including young people, make healthier food choices. This food-selection model offers a visual representation based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines, showing the five food groups that should be consumed daily. The primary aim is to help people consume a balanced diet and reduce the risk of health problems associated with poor nutrition.
How the guide is presented
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is presented as a poster featuring a pie chart as its main element. This pie chart is divided into sections that represent the five core food groups, with the size of each section indicating the recommended proportion of that food group in the daily diet. This visual approach makes it easy to understand at a glance how much of each food group should be consumed.
The five food groups and their proportions
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating divides foods into five main groups, each with recommended proportions:
Grain foods (30-35% of daily intake)
Grain foods form the largest section of the pie chart and include bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. These foods are important because they are high in carbohydrates, which provide the body with fuel for energy production. They are also rich in fibre, which plays a crucial role in weight management and maintaining healthy digestive function. For youth who are active and growing, adequate carbohydrate intake is essential.
Vegetables and legumes (30% of daily intake)
Vegetables and legumes make up the second-largest section of the guide. This category includes fresh, frozen, and tinned vegetables, as well as legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, and beans like kidney beans. These foods are nutrient-dense, meaning they provide high amounts of essential nutrients including fibre, protein, and folate. These nutrients are vital for promoting optimal health and wellbeing among young people. Additionally, vegetables and legumes are high in fibre and low in energy, which can assist with maintaining a healthy body weight.
Nutrient-dense vs Energy-dense:
- Nutrient-dense foods provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients relative to their energy content (e.g., vegetables, fruits, lean meats)
- Energy-dense foods provide lots of kilojoules but relatively few beneficial nutrients (e.g., chips, soft drinks, pastries)
Meats and alternatives (15% of daily intake)
Lean meats and meat alternatives should account for approximately 15% of total food intake. This group includes lean beef, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, and legumes. These foods are the body's primary source of protein, which is essential for developing both hard tissues (such as bones and teeth) and soft tissues (such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and organs).
Soft tissue refers to organs and tissues in the body that connect, support, or surround other structures, including skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, collagen, and organs.
Meats and alternatives also contain important nutrients like iron and vitamin B12, which are required for the production of red blood cells.
Fruit (10-12% of daily intake)
While fruit contains many vitamins and minerals essential for optimal health and wellbeing, it also contains natural sugars. If the energy from fruit is not used through physical activity, it can contribute to weight gain. For this reason, fruit should make up a smaller proportion of daily food intake, around 10-12%. This doesn't mean fruit is unhealthy, but rather that portion control is important.
Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and alternatives (10-12% of daily intake)
Dairy products and their alternatives should also account for approximately 10-12% of total food intake. These foods are particularly rich in calcium, a mineral that is essential for optimal bone development. This is especially important during youth when bones are still growing and developing. For those who cannot consume dairy products, fortified alternatives such as soy milk or almond milk can provide similar nutritional benefits.
Water recommendations
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating emphasizes the importance of drinking plenty of water, which is represented in the poster by a glass being filled from a tap. Water is essential for many body processes, including temperature regulation, nutrient transport, and waste removal. Importantly, water does not contribute any energy to the diet, so it can help maintain a healthy body weight. Choosing water over sugary drinks is one of the simplest ways to improve overall nutrition.
Healthy fats
The healthier fats are shown in the bottom left corner of the poster and include foods such as margarine and canola spray. These foods contain monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats, which are considered healthier types of fats. When consumed in appropriate amounts, these fats can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It's important to choose these healthier fats over saturated fats and trans fats.
Discretionary foods
The bottom right corner of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating shows foods that should be consumed only sometimes and in small amounts. These are called discretionary foods because they are not necessary to provide the nutrients the body needs, though they may add variety to the diet. Many discretionary foods are described as energy-dense because they are high in saturated fats, sugars, and/or alcohol. Other discretionary foods are high in salt, which increases overall sodium intake.
Discretionary foods are foods and drinks that are not essential for meeting nutritional needs. They are typically high in saturated fats, sugars, salt, and/or alcohol. These foods should be limited because excessive consumption increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health conditions.
Examples of discretionary foods include:
- Pies and other pastries
- Cakes and biscuits
- Processed meats
- Soft drinks and sports drinks
- Cordial
- Alcohol
- Potato chips
- Chocolate
Case study: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating
The National Health and Medical Research Council has developed a specially adapted version of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly those living in remote areas of Australia. This version takes into account cultural food preferences and the types of foods that are more readily available in remote communities.
Cultural Adaptation in Practice:
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide maintains the same five food groups and general proportions as the standard Australian Guide, but includes different food examples that are more relevant to Indigenous communities. For instance, it may feature:
- Bush tucker (traditional Indigenous foods)
- Kangaroo meat
- Fish that are caught locally
- Other culturally significant foods
This culturally appropriate adaptation ensures that nutrition advice is relevant and practical for all Australians, regardless of their background or location.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths:
- Provides a simple and clear visual guide that can be understood quickly
- The five food groups are easily recognizable
- The proportions are visually represented, making it easy to understand relative amounts
- Suitable for all Australians as a quick reference guide
- Has been adapted for specific population groups
Limitations:
- Does not provide specific information about serving sizes
- Composite foods (foods containing ingredients from multiple food groups, such as pizza or casserole) are not clearly represented, making the model difficult to apply in everyday situations
- May be challenging to determine how to categorize mixed dishes
Health Star Rating System
Overview and purpose
The Health Star Rating System was endorsed by the Australian federal government in June 2014 as an educational tool to help people make healthier food choices. This labelling system rates the overall nutritional profile of packaged foods and assigns them a rating from half a star to five stars, which appears on the front of the package. The system provides a quick, easy, and standardized way to compare similar packaged foods. The basic principle is simple: the more stars a product has, the healthier the choice.
How the rating system works
The Health Star Rating System is designed to take the guesswork out of reading nutrition labels. For busy shoppers, particularly young people who may be shopping for the first time, the system helps them compare the nutritional profiles of similar packaged foods quickly and easily, enabling them to make informed, healthier choices.
The rating is calculated based on comparing several factors per 100 grams or 100 milliliters of the product:
Risk nutrients:
Risk nutrients are those that increase the chances of developing certain health conditions when consumed in excess. The Health Star Rating System penalizes foods high in these nutrients:
- Saturated fat: linked to cardiovascular disease
- Sodium (salt): associated with high blood pressure
- Sugars: connected to obesity and type 2 diabetes
- Energy (kilojoules): overall energy content
Risk nutrient: Any nutrient that increases the chances of developing a certain health condition when consumed in excess amounts. In the context of the Health Star Rating System, high levels of risk nutrients result in lower star ratings.
Protective nutrients:
Protective nutrients are those that act to protect a person from certain health conditions. The Health Star Rating System rewards foods high in these nutrients:
- Dietary fibre: supports digestive health and weight management
- Protein: essential for growth and tissue repair
- Fruit, vegetable, nut, and legume content: associated with better health outcomes
- Certain vitamins and minerals (in some cases): support various body functions
Protective nutrient: Any nutrient that acts to protect a person from certain health conditions. Foods high in protective nutrients receive higher star ratings in the Health Star Rating System.
All nutrients are compared based on 100 grams or 100 milliliters of the product, which enables consumers to make fair comparisons between products within the same category. The Health Star Rating System is voluntary, and companies do not have to pay a fee when applying for a rating for their products.
Five-year review recommendations
In 2019, the Health Star Rating System underwent a comprehensive five-year review conducted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). One of the major outcomes was to better align the system with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Several changes were proposed to be implemented over a two-year transition period:
- Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables with no added sugar, salt, or fat should automatically receive a rating of 5 stars
- Total sugars in products should be more strongly penalized, particularly in breakfast cereals, snack bars, sweetened milk, ice creams, and sugar-based confectionery
- Products should receive reduced ratings if they contain high sodium levels exceeding 900mg per 100g
- Jellies and water-based ice confections should be re-categorized to decrease their ratings
These changes were designed to make the system more accurate and better aligned with current nutrition science.
Practical application
The Health Star Rating System is particularly useful for young people when shopping for packaged foods. By comparing the star ratings of similar products, they can make healthier choices without needing to understand complex nutrition information panels.
Using Health Star Ratings While Shopping:
When choosing between different yogurt products, you can use the Health Star Rating to make a healthier choice:
Step 1: Look at the Health Star Rating on the front of each yogurt container
Step 2: Compare the ratings - a yogurt with 4.5 stars is a healthier choice than one with 2 stars
Step 3: The higher-rated yogurt will typically be:
- Lower in added sugars
- Lower in saturated fat
- Higher in beneficial nutrients like protein and calcium
This makes healthy eating more accessible for people who may not have extensive nutrition knowledge or time to read detailed nutrition information panels.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths:
- Provides a simple visual guide that can be used while shopping
- Makes it easier to identify healthier products at a glance
- Standardized system allows for fair comparisons between similar products
- Voluntary system encourages manufacturers to reformulate products to achieve higher ratings
- Helpful for people with limited nutrition knowledge
The Milo Powder Controversy:
The Health Star Rating System can sometimes produce misleading results. A notable example occurred with Milo powder, which received 4.5 stars when calculated on an 'as prepared basis' with skim milk. However, the powder alone contained 50% sugar and would only receive 1.5 stars if rated by itself.
This created public confusion because consumers buying Milo powder saw a high rating that actually reflected the nutritional value of the milk added, not the product they were purchasing. Following the controversy, Nestlé removed the Health Star Rating from Milo powder packaging.
This example demonstrates that the system is based on individual nutrients rather than whole foods, which can lead to counterintuitive or misleading ratings in some cases.
Limitations:
- The system is based on individual nutrients rather than whole foods, which can sometimes lead to misleading ratings
- Not all manufacturers choose to display the rating, limiting its usefulness
- The system has had some controversial applications, such as the Milo powder example
- A high Health Star Rating doesn't guarantee that a food provides all essential nutrients for a balanced diet
- Only applies to packaged foods, not fresh foods
Healthy Eating Pyramid
Overview and purpose
The Healthy Eating Pyramid was developed by Nutrition Australia, a non-government organization. Unlike the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, which is a government initiative, the Healthy Eating Pyramid represents an alternative approach to presenting nutrition information. The pyramid arranges foods from the five basic food groups into four levels, with each level indicating the proportion of different types of foods that should be consumed. The Healthy Eating Pyramid promotes good health and wellbeing by encouraging food variety and a diet based on minimally processed foods from the five food groups, healthy fats, limited salt and added sugar, and sufficient water intake.
Pyramid structure and layers
The Healthy Eating Pyramid uses a vertical structure to represent the relative proportions of different food groups that should be consumed:
Foundation layers (bottom two levels):
The foundation layers, which form the base of the pyramid, contain foods of plant origin: vegetables and legumes, fruits, and grains. These foods should make up the majority of an individual's daily food intake. This placement emphasizes the importance of plant-based foods in a healthy diet.
The pyramid's structure is meaningful - foods at the base should be eaten in the greatest amounts, while foods at the top should be consumed sparingly. This visual hierarchy makes it immediately clear which foods should form the foundation of your diet.
These foundation foods are nutrient-dense, meaning they provide high amounts of beneficial nutrients relative to their energy content. They supply youth with optimal amounts of carbohydrates for energy, fibre for digestive health, B-group vitamins for metabolism, and folate for cell growth and development. The large base of the pyramid visually reinforces that these foods should be consumed in the greatest quantities.
Middle layer:
The middle layer includes two food groups:
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and alternatives: primarily provide calcium for bone health and protein for tissue development
- Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes: provide protein for growth and repair, iron for blood health, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for heart health
These foods are important but should be consumed in smaller quantities than the foundation foods.
Top layer:
The top layer consists of foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Youth should consume these in small amounts to support heart health and brain function. The key message is that benefits occur when people choose foods containing these healthier fats instead of foods high in saturated fats and trans fats. Examples include olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
Additional recommendations
Beyond the pyramid layers, the Healthy Eating Pyramid includes several important recommendations:
Water: The pyramid encourages individuals to drink water as the best source of hydration. Water provides essential hydration without adding extra sugar or energy to the diet, which helps maintain healthy body weight.
Limit salt and added sugar: The pyramid recommends that salt intake and added sugar should be limited. Salt is a rich source of sodium, which is an essential nutrient, but most Australians already consume too much. Excessive salt and added sugar consumption is linked to increased risk of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Herbs and spices: The pyramid suggests using herbs and spices to add flavor to food, which can help reduce reliance on salt for taste.
Physical activity: The pyramid includes a message to "be active every day", acknowledging that healthy eating works best in combination with regular physical activity.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths:
- Provides a simple visual tool for promoting healthy food intake
- Includes the five food groups in a clear hierarchy
- Incorporates healthy fats as a distinct category
- Emphasizes herbs and spices as alternatives to salt
- Promotes water consumption
- Easy to understand the concept that foods at the base should be eaten most, while those at the top should be eaten least
- Developed by nutrition experts
- Promotes minimally processed foods
Limitations:
- Does not provide specific serving sizes, making it difficult to know exactly how much to eat
- Does not include provisions for composite foods (mixed dishes), making practical application challenging
- Fruit is included in the foundation layer, which may lead people to believe they can eat unlimited amounts, when fruit should still be consumed in moderation due to natural sugar content
- Without serving size guidance, people can still overconsume even the foundation foods
Comparison of food-selection models and tools
Each of the three main food-selection models and tools has distinct characteristics, strengths, and limitations. Understanding these differences helps you choose which tool to use in different situations.
While each model has unique features, they all share the common goal of promoting balanced nutrition and helping Australians make healthier food choices. You can use these models together - for example, follow the food group proportions from the Australian Guide when planning meals, and use Health Star Ratings when choosing between packaged products at the supermarket.
The following table provides a comprehensive comparison:
| Feature | Australian Guide to Healthy Eating | Health Star Rating System | Healthy Eating Pyramid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) - government initiative | Australian federal, state and territory governments in partnership with food industry, consumer and public health groups - government initiative | Nutrition Australia - non-government organization |
| Objective | A food selection guide that visually represents the proportion of the five food groups recommended for consumption each day | Simplifies nutrition information on packaging to help differentiate between healthier and less healthy packaged foods | A simple visual guide to the types and proportion of foods to eat daily for good health |
| How information is presented | Pie chart format showing the five food groups separated into portion sizes, with discretionary foods and healthy oils displayed separately | Front-of-pack label applied voluntarily by food retailers and manufacturers, showing a star rating | Four-layer pyramid depicting the five core food groups plus healthy fats based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines |
| Target audience | All Australians | Consumers at point of purchase, food retailers and manufacturers | All Australians aged 1 to 70 years |
| How foods are classified | Classification into five food groups that form the basis of a healthy diet as defined in the Australian Dietary Guidelines; discretionary foods defined by high levels of saturated and trans fats and sodium | A nutrient profile model scores individual products from 0.5 to 5.0 stars based on energy, negative nutrients (saturated fat, sugars, sodium) and positive nutrients (fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, protein, dietary fibre) | Foods categorized into five food groups as depicted in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, with inclusion of healthy fats; arranged in pyramid layers from most to least important |
| Strengths | Simple visual guide for quick reference; five food groups easily understood and recognized; proportions clearly represented | Simple visual guide for shopping; makes identifying healthier products easier; standardized comparison tool | Simple visual guide including five food groups and healthy fats; includes herbs and spices to address salt alternatives; promotes food variety |
| Limitations | Difficult to categorize mixed foods like casserole or pizza into particular groups; serving sizes not provided | Based on nutrients not whole foods, so can produce counterintuitive ratings; voluntary system means not all products display ratings | Fruit included in foundation layer may lead people to believe they can eat unlimited amounts; portion sizes not included so people can still overconsume; difficult to apply to composite foods |
Key Points to Remember:
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Three main tools exist to help young Australians make healthy food choices: the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, the Health Star Rating System, and the Healthy Eating Pyramid. Each takes a different approach but shares the common goal of promoting balanced nutrition.
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The five food groups are central to healthy eating: grains (30-35%), vegetables and legumes (30%), meats and alternatives (15%), fruit (10-12%), and dairy products (10-12%). Understanding these proportions helps create a balanced diet.
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Risk nutrients and protective nutrients work in opposite ways. Risk nutrients (saturated fat, sodium, sugars) increase health risks when consumed in excess, while protective nutrients (fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals) support good health. The Health Star Rating System balances these to create its rating.
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Each model has limitations: The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and Healthy Eating Pyramid lack serving size information and guidance on composite foods. The Health Star Rating System can produce misleading ratings because it focuses on individual nutrients rather than whole foods.
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Making healthy choices involves more than just one tool. Young people can use these models together: follow the food group proportions from the Australian Guide or Pyramid when planning meals, and use Health Star Ratings when choosing between similar packaged products at the supermarket. Remember to drink plenty of water and limit discretionary foods for optimal health and wellbeing.