Heart Foundation welcomes Australian Dietary Guidelines review

The Heart Foundation welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Health, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, of a review into the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG).

The Australian Government will provide $2.5 million to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to undertake a review that ensures the Guidelines remain a trusted source of nutrition advice.

The Heart Foundation’s Group CEO, Adjunct Professor John Kelly AM, commended the Minister for Health and the Federal Government for their commitment to improving Australia’s nutritional health and wellbeing.

“We welcome the Federal Government’s review, which will ensure Australians are provided with the most up-to-date advice on diet and nutrition to support their good health,” Professor Kelly said.

“Following the ADG review by the NHMRC, we encourage the Government to support it with a whole-of-government consumer awareness campaign.

“Poor diet is a leading risk for heart disease, Australia’s single biggest killer, accounting for 66% of the total burden of heart disease.

“Knowing what to eat for good health will help support Australians trying to reduce their lifestyle risks and, in turn, help reduce rates of death and disability from heart disease.

“With more than two-thirds of Australians overweight or obese, it’s vital we act to ensure consistency of food messaging that is based on the best available science.

“We need to encourage more Australians to ‘plate up’ fresh foods like vegetables, fruit and wholegrains rather than highly processed foods like cakes, chips and fast foods.”

The Heart Foundation has been pivotal in calling for action to update the ADG, renewing its call following an update to the Foundation’s dietary advice on Meat, Dairy and Eggs in August 2019.

Media enquiries

Debora McInnes, Senior Media Advisor, Nutrition
M: 0423 827 697 E: debora.mcinnes@heartfoundation.org.au