The 2010 National Infant Feeding Survey has found rates of exclusive breast feeding decline sharply after birth, with only 39% of infants being exclusively breast fed to 3 months ( less than 4 months). The survey, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare provides baseline data on how infants are fed in Australia, together with mothers/carers attitudes and behaviours towards breast feeding and infant formula.
A study presented at the recent joint Australian and New Zealand Nutrition Society Meeting in New Zealand has shown that birth weight is a significant predictor of the current weight of Australian children and adolescents. The increasing birth weight of Australian babies may therefore be predictive of future overweight and obesity.
Overweight and obesity is an increasing problem amongst children. A recent Cochrane review has looked at the various interventions in published studies to determine which ones are effective in preventing childhood obesity using change in Body Mass Index (BMI) as the assessment tool. It also looked at why they were effective and their cost.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) have today released the long awaited update of the Australian Dietary Guidelines incorporating the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Comments are invited from all interested parties by Wednesday the 29th February, 2012.
The Australian Government has announced it is commited to assisting consumers make healthier choices by providing simpler and more easily understood nutrition labelling on foods.
The 23rd Australian Total Diet Study (ATDS), formerly known as the Australian Market Basket Study, has found that Australian food is safe with only low rates of contamination with mycotoxins (toxins from fungi), agricultural chemicals such as pesticides and veterinary chemicals.
