Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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DIETARY BEHAVIOURS


Definition

This topic covers selected dietary indicators relating to the type of milk consumed, usual daily intake of fruit and vegetables and use of salt.


Population

Information was collected for persons aged 2 years and over in the NHS and NNPAS surveys.


Methodology

Milk

Respondents were asked to report the main type of milk they usually drink:

• cow's milk;
• soy milk;
• evaporated or sweetened condensed milk;
• other type of milk (specify);
• don't drink milk; and
• don't know.

• Whole milk/regular/full cream (3% fat or more);
• Reduced fat e.g. Low/Lite/HiLo (around 1 or 2% fat);
• Skim e.g. Skinny/Shape/Fat Free (less than 1% fat); and,
• Don't know.

• half a cup of cooked vegetables;
• one medium potato; or,
• one cup of salad vegetables - approximately equivalent to 75 grams.

• one medium piece or two small pieces of fruit;
• one cup of diced fruit;
• quarter of a cup of sultanas; or,
• four dried apricot halves - approximately 150 grams of fresh fruit or 50 grams of dried fruits.

• Data recorded on type of milk usually consumed and the fat content of the main type of milk consumed is based on the information provided by respondents against a defined classification of milk type and fat content categories. The variety of milk products available, and the various terminologies used to label milk products may have led to some mis-reporting and incorrect classification.
• Questions on intake of fruit and vegetables are based on short questions used in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey (NNS). The questions are complex, as respondents needed to understand and apply the inclusions/exclusions, understand the concept of a serve and assess their consumption levels accordingly, and think about their total consumption in what would constitute a usual day. Interviewers were instructed to prompt/assist respondents in a standard way if necessary.
• Inadequate fruit or vegetable consumption was derived in the 2011-12 surveys to assist users to determine whether vegetable and fruit consumption met the recommended guidelines. Respondents who did not meet the recommended guidelines for either fruit or vegetables were considered to have inadequate fruit or vegetable consumption (this item should be used with caution as it is based on self-reported data).
• It is considered that the indicators of vegetable and fruit intake from the 2011-12 surveys are of a lower quality than most other items from the survey, but are considered sufficiently reliable for the purposes of assessing broad intake levels for population groups, and comparisons between population groups. Use of the data for other purposes should be undertaken with care.
• Data for persons aged 2 to 14 years, and some of those aged 15 to 17 years, was provided by a proxy, usually a parent. As a result, the data reflects the parent's knowledge of the child's consumption. This is likely to be less accurate for usual consumption of fruit than for type of milk and usual consumption of vegetables.
• A comparison of results from the 2001 NHS with those obtained in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey was published by the ABS in the information paper, Measuring Dietary Habits in the 2001 National Health Survey, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4814.0.55.001).
• Further information about dietary behaviours will be available from the National Nutrition and Physical Activity (NNPAS) component of the 2011-13 AHS, to be released in September 2013.

• salt added to food at cooking stage and whether iodised; and,
• salt added to food at table and whether iodised.