Roughly a third of Australians’ energy intake comes from discretionary food –  cakes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, pastries, potato chips, soft drinks and alcohol. 

This is the message in a new report, Nutrition across the life stages  and it’s a life-long issue which starts from as early as age 2. In 144 pages the report paints a damning picture of our eating and exercise habits. In five categories  –  dairy, meat, grains, vegetables, fruit  –  from the age of 14 almost nobody surveyed ate the correct amounts. Sodium levels were up to 300 per cent above recommended levels. Most of adult discretionary “eating” is in fact alcohol. 

The report illustrates the steady decline in good habits from childhood. Children aged 2-3 do 75 percent of the recommended physical activity each day and 21 per cent are overweight or obese.  There’s a drop from there and by the time they are14-18 it’s 16 per cent and 30 per cent. 

Read more: Exercise myths tackled as drinking fountains installed

In adulthood we pick up better exercise habits, but poor eating negates that. At ages 19-30 there are 55 per cent who exercise enough but 47 per cent are overweight or obese. It’s a a steady decline in both categories from there until we hit 71 years or more, when it’s 22 per cent and 71 per cent. 

It’s a stark warning that, even with exercise, if you don’t eat properly (the report states there is a “clear preference for energy-dense, nutrient poor foods”) you won’t keep the weight off.  It’s also a warning that has been repeatedly ignored. The reasons are myriad – no time, don’t like exercise, can’t afford to eat well, I deserve the “treat”. 

When did we stop putting our health as our No 1 priority, whatever the reason it might have been knocked off the top spot? We need to pay ourselves first – with good food choices and carving out time to look after ourselves. If not, the outlook is bleak. We are on course to be the first generation that dies younger than our parents due to our own choices. Something needs to change.  

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