The share of Australians who met the recommended intake for lean meat and alternatives increased from 14.7 per cent in 2011–12 to 20.6 per cent in 2023, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Suraksha Maharaj, ABS head of health and disability insights, says 24 per cent of males met the recommendation for lean meat and alternatives in 2023, compared with 17.1 per cent of females. Around 64 per cent of lean meat and alternatives consumption came from lean red meat and poultry, with the remainder from eggs, nuts and seeds, fish and seafood, and legumes and beans.
The ABS said most Australians did not meet the minimum recommended serves for any of the five food groups: Vegetables, fruit, grains and cereals, lean meat and alternatives, and dairy and alternatives.
Across the other food groups, 27.8 per cent of Australians met the recommendation for grains and cereals, while 23.1 per cent met the recommendation for fruit. Of total grain and cereal consumption, 23.9 per cent came from wholegrain or high-cereal-fibre varieties, while 58.2 per cent of fruit serves came from fresh, frozen or canned fruit.
Meanwhile, 7.2 per cent of people met the recommendation for dairy and alternatives, while 4.3 per cent met the recommendation for vegetables.
The analysis includes consumption from the five food groups only and excludes discretionary foods, defined as foods and beverages high in saturated fat, added salt, added sugar, or alcohol. These foods accounted for 31.3 per cent of daily energy intake in 2023, despite the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommending that consumption be limited.
The findings are part of the third nutrition release from the 2023 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS), which analyses usual food group consumption against the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
- Further reading: Meat waste a global crisis as protein demand soars.
