Diet

The term diet describes the food and drink consumed by a person.

A healthy diet does not depend on the selection of a single type of food. Instead, it depends on the selection of many different foods over time. A healthy diet encourages you to enjoy a wide variety of nutritious food.

Consistently having a poor diet can impact our health on a DNA level and can lead to DNA damage, and thus to an increased risk of disease.

Healthy diet

• High in fibre
• Low in saturated fat
• High fruit or vegetables intake (High polyphenols)
• High level of micronutrients
• Calorie intake appropriate for BMI, age, gender and activity levels
• Sufficient omega-3 fatty acids
• Moderate protein

Unhealthy diet

• Low in fibre
• High in saturated fat
• Low fruit or vegetables intake (Low polyphenols)
• Low level of micronutrients
• Calorie-dense
• Low omega-3 fatty acids
• High protein

Click here to view the Australian dietary guideline poster.

An example of healthy diet:

• Lean chicken
• Salad
• Broccoli
• Olive oil
• Milk

References:

• Commonwealth of Australia. Australian dietary guidelines. 2013.www.eatforhealth.gov.au

• WHO. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases: report of a joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. WHO technical report series, 2002.