Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia methodology

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) provide the recommended lower and upper bounds of proportion of energy contribution for each of the macronutrients to total energy intakes. Percentages are consistent with the available evidence linking macronutrient balance with chronic disease risk. These are published in Australia by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. The total macronutrient ranges are:

• Carbohydrate (45–65%)
• Protein (15–25%)
• Fats (20–35%).

Further recommendations are made for:

• Saturated fats + Trans fatty acids (<10%)

The definition of added sugars associated with AUSNUT 2023 is based on clause 1 of Standard 1.1.2 of the Food Standards Code:

“Sugars means -

    a)  hexose monosaccharides and disaccharides, including dextrose, fructose, sucrose and lactose; or

    b)  starch hydrolysate; or

    c)  glucose syrups, maltodextrin and similar products; or

    d)  products derived at a sugar refinery, including brown sugar and molasses; or

    e)  icing sugar; or

    f)   invert sugar; or

    g)  fruit sugar syrup; derived from any source,

but does not include -

    h)  malt or malt extracts; or

    i)   sorbitol, mannitol, glycerol, xylitol, polydextrose, isomalt, maltitol, maltitol syrup or lactitol.”

One exception in the added sugar definition in AUSNUT 2023 is the exclusion of maltodextrin to maintain consistency with agreed standards.  

Honey, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates are not included in this Standard and as such were not considered ‘added sugars’ for this definition of added sugars. 

For more information see the AUSNUT 2023 list of nutrients published by FSANZ. 

The term 'Alcohol' in this publication refers to ethanol which is an energy providing macronutrient. Although almost 100% of dietary alcohol is consumed from alcoholic beverages, small amounts of alcohol may be found in foods such as desserts, chocolates and vanilla extract. For this reason, non-zero amounts of alcohol are possible in Table 2 (nutrients available) and Table 3 (energy from macronutrients), despite alcoholic beverages not being in scope of the source data.

Apparent consumption in this release measures the amount of food purchased based on sales data. It does not measure actual consumption as it does not account for food purchases from restaurants, fast foods and cafes, home grown, produced, wild harvested foods or foods not consumed through waste or storage. This differs from previous ABS publications of Apparent Consumption of Foodstuffs which used a methodology based on: national production + imports - exports. See Explanatory Notes for more information on the data sources and methods used.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NMHRC) 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines use the best available scientific evidence to provide information on the types and amounts of foods, food groups and dietary patterns that:

• Promote health and wellbeing
• Reduce the risk of diet-related conditions
• Reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The Guidelines are for use by health professionals, policy makers, educators, food manufacturers, food retailers and researchers.

The content of the Australian Dietary Guidelines applies to all healthy Australians, as well as those with common diet-related risk factors such as being overweight. They do not apply to people who need special dietary advice for a medical condition, or to the frail elderly.

The ADG profiles in AUSNUT 2023 give the amount, in grams and serves, of each ADG food subgroup in each 8-digit food, per 100 g edible portion. ACSF applies them to each food's apparent consumption to estimate total ADG food group amounts. The ADG classification was adapted from the one developed for the 2011–13 Australian Health Survey. See Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) food groups.

Guideline 2 in the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines ('enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods') advocates for Australians to follow a dietary pattern which includes a variety of choices from each of the five food groups. These comprise:

• Grain (cereal) foods
• Vegetables and legumes/beans
• Fruit
• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives
• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.

In addition to the five food groups, Guideline 3 also recommends an allowance for a sixth food group 'unsaturated fats and oils'. By definition, the ADG food groups exclude foods which nominally have ingredients belonging to the five food groups, but are considered discretionary choices because of the presence of high levels of sodium, saturated fat or added sugar.

Table 4.1, which presents mean daily serves per capita of the Australian Dietary Guidelines food groups, provides these serve quantities in total, then by non-discretionary and then discretionary groups. However, as stated above, it is only the non-discretionary group that meets the criteria of the guidelines and therefore is the comparator for the recommended serves within the 2013 ADG.

See also 'Discretionary foods' and 'Non-discretionary foods' in this Glossary.

For information on how grams and serves of the food groups are estimated, see 'Measuring Australian Dietary Guidelines food groups' in the Explanatory Notes.

Guideline 2 of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines provides age and sex specific recommendations of the minimum number of serves for each of the five food groups for the population across the life stages. Because the ACSF can only provide the average number of serves for the whole population for each of the five food groups, a comparison against the recommended serves requires the serves be simplified on an equivalent basis. This may be done by creating average recommended serves that accounts for the size of the population in each age and sex group.

Using the Estimated Resident Population to 'weight' the ADG serve recommendations produces the average serves in the table below. Note however, this does not take account of the recommendations for pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The grams and serves of Basic food groups presented in Table 4.3 represents the total amounts of all foods and non-alcoholic beverages available for consumption, regardless of discretionary status in the Australian Dietary Guidelines food groups. They are called Basic food groups in this table to differentiate them from the ADG food groups (non-discretionary foods only) with a breakdown of some basic food groupings contributing to each of the ADG food groups provided.

Carbohydrate is a macronutrient often contributing the greatest proportion of energy in human diets. The ACSF uses the AUSNUT 2023 values for ‘Available carbohydrate, with sugar alcohols’. While sugar alcohols and oligosaccharides are included in 'Total carbohydrates', they are not included in starch and sugar sub-totals. Therefore, total carbohydrate content of food does not always equal the sum of sugars and starch content. See the AUSNUT 2023 list of nutrients published by FSANZ. 

Cereal-based products is the label used for 'Cereal-based products and dishes' (AUSNUT code 13). This major food group includes biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, dumplings, pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, pasta-based dishes and rice-based dishes.

The 'Cereals and Cereal Products' food group (AUSNUT code 12) includes grains, flours, bread and bread rolls, plain pasta, noodles and rice, and breakfast cereals.

'Commercially sterile' refers to the process of sealing food products in airtight containers in association with thermal or chemical processing treatments as a method of food preservation. Food products such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, or a combination of these foods (e.g. soups, sauces, and fruit salad) can be stored safely in airtight sealed containers and are otherwise known as 'canned foods' or products otherwise sealed in plastic or glass. For more information, see the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

Confectionery is the label used in ACSF for the major food group 'Confectionery and cereal/nut/fruit/seed bars' (AUSNUT code 28). This food group includes chocolate, fruit, nut and seed bars and muesli or cereal-style bars.

The 'Dairy and meat substitutes' major food group (AUSNUT code 20) includes milk substitutes, cheese and meat substitutes, substitutes for milk-based products (e.g. soy-based ice cream and yoghurt), and dishes where dairy and meat substitutes are the major components (e.g. tofu curry and tofu and vegetable curry).

Dietary fibre is generally found in edible plants or their extracts but can also come from synthetic analogues. It refers to the fractions of the plant or analogue that are resistant to digestion and absorption, which usually undergo fermentation in the large intestine. Dietary fibre plays a beneficial role in laxation, blood cholesterol levels, and blood glucose modulation. It comes in the form of polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and lignins.

Guideline 3 of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) is to "limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol". The Guidelines further describes discretionary foods as: "foods and drinks not necessary to provide the nutrients the body needs, but that may add variety. However, many of these are high in saturated fats, sugars, salt and / or alcohol, and are therefore described as energy dense. They can be included sometimes in small amounts by those who are physically active, but are not a necessary part of the diet."

The Guidelines list examples of discretionary choices as including: "most sweet biscuits, cakes; desserts and pastries: processed meats and sausages; ice-cream and other ice confections; confectionary and chocolate; savoury pastries and pies; commercial burgers; commercially fried foods; potato chips, crisps and other fatty and/or salty snack foods; cream, butter and spreads which are high in saturated fats; sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, sports and energy drinks, and alcoholic drinks".

 Based on these definitions, each 8-digit food in AUSNUT 2023 has been flagged as discretionary or non-discretionary. Whole food groups named as discretionary in the Guidelines are flagged in full. Mixed foods are assessed against criteria for saturated and trans fat, total sugars, sodium and (for dairy alternatives) calcium. Because flagging is at the food level, many AUSNUT food groups contain both discretionary and non-discretionary foods. This differs from AUSNUT 2011–13, where status was generally uniform within each minor (5-digit) food group, so discretionary estimates for individual food groups are not directly comparable with those published before 2024–25. Appendix B shows the discretionary status of each food group, and the data cube lists every discretionary food. For more information, see Discretionary foods.

Egg products is the shorter label used in ACSF for the 'Egg products and dishes' Major food group (AUSNUT code 17). The group includes eggs and dishes where eggs are the major component e.g. omelettes, frittatas and souffles.

Energy (or total dietary energy), measured in kilojoules (kJ), is required by the body for metabolic processes, physiological functions, growth and development, and cognitive functions. The energy reported in this publication refers to the dietary energy provided by carbohydrate, fat, protein, and alcohol. This includes small amounts of additional energy derived from dietary fibre and organic acids.

Macronutrient energy is the amount of each macronutrient multiplied by its energy conversion factor (kJ/g): protein 17, fat 37, sugars 16, starch 17, dietary fibre 8, alcohol 29. These are the factors used for the 2023 NNPAS. See Energy and nutrient intake.

Estimated resident population (ERP), is Australia's official measure of the population of Australia and is based on the concept of usual residence. It refers to all people, regardless of nationality, citizenship or legal status, who usually live in Australia, with the exception of foreign diplomatic personnel and their families. See National, state and territory population. 

Fat provides a significant amount of dietary energy and is also a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins and the source of essential fatty acids. It is the most energy dense of the macronutrients. The three fatty acid subtotals (saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated) do not sum to the total fat because total fat includes a contribution from non-fatty acid components.

The 'Fats and oils' major food group (AUSNUT code 14) includes butters, dairy blends, margarines, plant oils (e.g. nut and seed oils), and other fats, such as animal-based fats.

Fish and seafood products is the shorter label representing the 'Fish and seafood products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 15). It includes fresh and tinned seafood, shellfish and mixed dishes with fish or seafood as the main component e.g. salmon mornay, fish curry and prawn cocktail.

See 'Australian Dietary Guidelines food groups' in this Glossary.

Food and beverage products in the scanner data are classified to the AUSNUT 2023 food classification. It has Major (2-digit), Sub-major (3-digit) and Minor (5-digit) group levels above 8-digit foods. FSANZ developed the classification for the 2023 NNPAS and NATSINPAS. At the broadest level there are 23 food groups (plus a dietary supplements group, which is out of scope here). Excel tables provided for this publication present AUSNUT groups alongside custom groupings, such as the selected non-alcoholic beverages (Appendix A). 

Some AUSNUT group names are abbreviated in this publication.The following table shows the labels used in this publication alongside the full labels from AUSNUT 2023. The table also shows the composition of three convenient aggregations of meat and poultry products from the sub-major level that are used in this publication to aid descriptive analysis. 

Free sugars, as defined by the WHO, refers to monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. For more information see: WHO/FAO (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases: report of the joint WHO/FAO expert consultation and AUSNUT 2023 list of nutrients published by FSANZ. 

Fruit products is the label used for the 'Fruit products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 16). It includes fresh, dried and preserved fruit, as well as mixed dishes where fruit is the major component, for example apple crumble or banana split.

The 'Infant formulae and foods' major food group (AUSNUT code 32) includes infant formulae, and infant cereal, food and drink products

Intense-sweeteners are artificial or naturally occurring substances that are many times sweeter than sugar. They generally serve as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages as a way to sweeten a product while maintaining a lower kilojoule or carbohydrate level. Examples of intense sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin and stevia.

Soft drinks and flavoured mineral waters, energy drinks, sports drinks, cordials, fruit drinks, ice tea, kombucha and flavoured bottled waters described in AUSNUT 2023 as intense sweetened, diet, sugar free, or reduced or no added sugar. These are mostly sweetened with intense sweeteners. See Appendix A.

Intrinsic sugars are defined by the WHO as the sugars incorporated in the structure of intact fruit and vegetables. In this analysis, intrinsic sugars plus milk sugars are estimated from total sugars minus free sugars. See WHO Guideline.

Legume and pulse products is the label used for the 'Legume and pulse products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 25). It includes legumes and pulses e.g. baked beans, chickpeas, split peas, lentils and dishes where legumes are the major component, for example dhal and falafel.

The mean is the sum of the value of each observation in a dataset divided by the number of observations. This is also known as the arithmetic average. In this release, the means presented are mean daily per capita amounts which are calculated from the sum of the annual total amount (for example, g of foods, kJ of energy or g/mg/µg of nutrients) divided by the Estimated Resident Population and also divided by number of days in the reference year.

Meat and poultry is the label used in this publication to represent the 'Meat, poultry and game products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 18). It includes beef, sheep, pork, poultry, sausages, processed meat (e.g. salami) and mixed dishes where meat or poultry is the major component e.g. casseroles, curried sausages and chicken stir-fry.

Milk products refers to the 'Milk products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 19). This group comprises includes dairy milk, yoghurt, cream, cheese, custards, ice cream, milk shakes, smoothies and dishes where milk is the major component e.g. cheesecake or rice pudding. 

The 'Miscellaneous' major food group (AUSNUT code 31) includes yeast, and spreadable yeast extract, intense sweeteners, herbs, spices and seasonings.

The 2023 NNPAS is part of the Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study. It collected 24-hour dietary recalls, physical activity and physical measurements. Its foods were coded to AUSNUT 2023, the same classification used for this ACSF release

The 'Non-alcoholic beverages' major food group (AUSNUT code 11) covers tea, coffee, 100% fruit and vegetable juices, fruit and vegetable drinks, cordials, soft drinks, electrolyte and energy drinks, bottled water, and other beverage flavourings. Most tea, coffee and beverage flavourings appear in their unprepared (dry) state, so they contribute little weight compared with their prepared form. Water includes packaged water only. See also 'Selected non-alcoholic beverages'.

The 'Non-discretionary foods' group comprises of those foods identified in the Australian Dietary Guidelines five food groups. See also 'Australian Dietary Guidelines food groups' in this Glossary.

Nutrients are the chemical compounds sourced from the diet that are required to provide energy, structural materials, and biochemical cofactors to support the growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissues.

Nutrient data in this publication come from the AUSNUT 2023 food nutrient profiles that FSANZ developed for the 2023 NNPAS and NATSINPAS. Values are per 100 g edible portion.See AUSNUT 2023 information from FSANZ.

The Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand are the evidence based recommendations for the amounts of nutrients required from the diet to ensure nutritional adequacy and avoid potential toxicity from excessive intakes. The NRVs come in several forms:

• Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) - the amount considered adequate to meet the needs of 50% of the population
• Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) - the amount considered adequate to meet the requirements of 98% of the population
• Upper Level (UL) - the maximum amount recommended where intakes higher than the UL are associated with increased health risk
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges - (AMDR) provide the recommended lower and upper bounds of proportion of energy contribution for each of the macronutrients, consistent with the available evidence linking macronutrient balance with chronic disease risk
• Adequate intake (AI) - the amount determined to be adequate based on average intakes in observed populations without adverse signs. AIs are used where the RDI cannot be determined.
• Suggested Dietary Targets (SDT) - an amount higher than the RDI or AI that may provide additional benefits for reducing chronic disease risk

Coconut water, flavoured milks and milkshakes, flavoured dairy milk substitutes, and breakfast cereal beverages. See Appendix A.

Per capita amounts are derived by dividing the total amount of a food or nutrient available for consumption by the Estimated Resident Population (ERP). In this publication, annual per capita estimates are derived by dividing the annual total by the December 31 ERP (i.e. the middle of the financial year) and also divided by the number of days in the reference year. 

In the case of monthly estimates, the monthly total is divided a monthly population estimate and the number of days in that calendar month.The monthly population estimate is derived by an interpolation of the quarterly ERP published in the quarterly publication Australian Demographic Statistics and ABS projections. For more information on population estimates, see National, state and territory population.

Protein supplies essential amino acids and is also a source of energy. Protein can be supplied from animal or vegetable sources, though individual vegetables do not contain all the essential amino acids required by the body. A combination of vegetables is required to be consumed to provide all the essential amino acids.

The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends levels of daily fruit intake to ensure good nutrition and health. Fruit intake has been grouped in the table below to allow results to be reported against the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. A serve is approximately 150 grams of fresh fruit, half a cup of fruit juice or 30 grams of dried fruit(a).

The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends levels of daily vegetable intake to ensure good nutrition and health. Vegetable intake has been grouped in the table below to allow results to be reported against the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. A serve is approximately half a cup of cooked vegetables or legumes/beans or one cup of salad vegetables - equivalent to around 75 grams.*

Saturated fat or saturated fatty acids are a type of fat predominantly found in animal-based foods, although there are exceptions. Reported saturated fat is the total of all saturated fatty acids, that is, all fatty acids without any double bonds. Dietary saturated fat is considered a key risk factor determining plasma levels of LDL cholesterol.

The 'Savoury sauces and condiments' major food group (AUSNUT code 23). It includes gravies and sauces, pickles, chutneys and relishes, salad dressings, stuffings, and dips.

Seed and nut products is the label used for the 'Seed and nut products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 22). It includes seeds and seed products, nuts, and nut products.

This publication uses custom groupings of AUSNUT 2023 codes to report non-alcoholic beverages of public health interest: soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, cordials, fruit and vegetable drinks, 100% fruit and vegetable juices, bottled water and other selected beverages. Some groupings are split into sugar-sweetened and intense-sweetened. Some draw on codes outside AUSNUT group 11, e.g. flavoured milks, flavoured dairy milk substitutes and coconut water. Appendix A lists the AUSNUT 2023 codes in each grouping.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) recommends Australians consume a minimum number serves per day of particular foods within the five food groups. The gram or millilitre amount that makes up a serve varies depending on the food. For examples of serve sizes, refer to Guideline 2 within the Eat for Health Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary.

Many processed foods contain several food groups, so ACSF uses the AUSNUT 2023 ADG profiles. These give the grams and serves of each ADG food group in each of the roughly 3,700 foods in AUSNUT 2023. See 'Australian Dietary Guidelines profiles' in this Glossary.

The 'Snack foods' food major group (AUSNUT code 26) includes potato chips, popcorn, corn chips, cheese and bacon balls, and pretzels.

Sodium is a mineral which occurs in a number of different forms but is generally consumed as sodium chloride (commonly known as 'salt'). It is naturally occurring in many foods and is also found in some food additives. The major dietary source of sodium is processed foods, as salt is often added in food processing, and to a lesser extent salt added during cooking or at the table.

The 'Soup' major food group (AUSNUT code 21) includes dry and canned soups, as well as soups purchased ready-to-eat.

The 'Special dietary foods' major food group (AUSNUT code 30) includes formula dietary foods (e.g. protein powders, meal replacement shakes and meal replacement bars).

Sugar products is the label used for the 'Sugar products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 27). This group includes sugar, honey, syrups, jam, chocolate spreads / sauces, as well as products and dishes other than confectionary where sugar is the major component (e.g. ice confection, jelly crystals).

Soft drinks and flavoured mineral waters, energy drinks, sports drinks, cordials, fruit and vegetable drinks, commercial ice tea and flavoured bottled waters that contain added sugar. Excludes 100% fruit and vegetable juices, flavoured milks and other selected beverages. See Appendix A.

Total fat includes the fatty acids reported on in this release as well as some fats not separately reported on, such as non-fatty acid components of triglycerides, phospholipids, sterols and waxes.

Total sugars are the sum of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose and galactose.

Vegetable products is the label used for the 'Vegetable products and dishes' major food group (AUSNUT code 24). It includes vegetables and dishes where vegetables are the major component, for example salad or vegetable casserole.