© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Understanding Australia’s health This area of study includes: –Measuring the health status of Australians using life expectancy, disease burden and mortality statistics –Factors that affect the health of individuals and how health can vary amongst different groups within the population –Nutrients needed for optimal health and their food sources –Using RDI, BMI and consumption and nutrition surveys to measure the nutrition status of Australians –Nutrient intake and its influence on the incidence of diet-related diseases in Australia

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Measuring the health status of Australians Life expectancy Mortality Burden of disease HALE DALYs Infant mortality rate Prevalence Incidence Do you know the definitions of these terms used to measure health?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Changes in Australia’s health status over time Health status Life expectancy has increased Rates of heart disease have decreased Road crashes have decreased Poisonings and injuries in children have decreased Infectious disease rates have decreased Reasons for improvements Improved medical technology Health promotion strategies Better nutritional knowledge and wider food choices Increased education on health issues Immunisation programs

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Factors affecting the health of Australians and different groups within the population Biomedical factors (e.g. high blood pressure) Lifestyle and behaviour (e.g. physical activity level) Environmental factors (e.g. ozone depletion, quality housing) Genetic factors (e.g. predisposition for disease) Knowledge, attitudes and belief (e.g. knowledge regarding the effects of smoking on health) Even though Australia is essentially a healthy country, the population’s health is affected by factors known as the determinants of health: Can you give two more examples of influences from each of the determinants?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Significant contributors to the burden of disease in Australia These include: Cancers, including lung, colorectal, breast, prostate, cervical and stomach Cardiovascular disease, including stroke and ischaemic heart disease Poisonings and injuries, including road trauma, work-related injuries, drug- related poisonings, falls, violence-related injuries and suicide Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Diabetes Mental health disorders, including depression and dementia The prevalence and incidence of disease burden changes for different lifespan stages. Can you link the examples above with the different stages of the lifespan? Can you give more examples for each of the stages of the lifespan?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Groups within the population and their health Common causes of death and illness in Australia include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and asthma. Some groups that exist within the Australian population have different rates of death and illness than the total population. Groups within the population with inequalities in health status include: –Indigenous populations –Males and females –Populations living in rural and remote areas –Populations of a low socioeconomic status

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Discussion questions 1.Can you identify ways in which the health status of each of the population groups indicated differs from the rest of the population of Australia? 2.Discuss reasons why the people within the different population groups experience these differences in health status. 3.In what way does your lifestyle, behaviour and environment affect your health?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Nutrients needed for health and their food sources There are six essential nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water Functions that nutrients perform include: –Energy production –Growth, repair and replacement of body cells and tissues –Regulation of daily body processes Give examples of specific nutrients involved in each of the functions listed above.

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Nutrients are needed in different quantities throughout the lifespan. Needs differ according to growth patterns, level of activity and lifestyle-related stresses such as suffering illness or disease.

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Food sources of different nutrients Food groups provide certain nutrients in noteworthy quantities, including: Milk and milk products (calcium, protein, fats, vitamin A, Vitamin D, phosphorus) Meat, poultry, fish and eggs (protein, iron, zinc, fats, iodine) Fruit (vitamin C, B group vitamins, potassium Vegetables (carbohydrates, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, vitamin E) Breads and cereals (carbohydrates, B group vitamins, iron)

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Measuring nutritional status RDI – recommended dietary intakes –The amount of essential nutrients that are considered adequate to meet the needs of healthy people BMI – body mass index –A formula used to assess body weight in relation to height BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m 2 ) A BMI below 20 = underweight; 20–24 = healthy weight; 25–29 = overweight 30+ = obese Food consumption and nutrition surveys –Aim to monitor and assess food consumption and related behaviour within the Australian population over a period of time

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Discussion questions 1.Why is it important to eat a wide range of different foods every day? 2.Consider your own food intake. Are all the main food groups represented? Are there any nutrients you are not getting enough of? 3.What do the acronyms RDI and BMI stand for?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Nutrient intake and diet-related diseases in Australia Diet-related diseases are conditions that can be linked to imbalances in an individual’s diet Inadequate or inappropriate intake of certain nutrients can cause the onset of particular illnesses such as: obesitycardiovascular disease diabetesosteoporosis cancer (colorectal)dental decay iron-deficiency anaemiafolate-deficiency anemia

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Nutrition as a risk or protective factor for disease Risk nutritional factors that can lead to diet-related diseases include: –high intake of saturated fats –low intake of fruits and vegetables –low intake of fibre –high intake of sodium –low intake of iron, folate, calcium Protective nutritional factors include: –high fibre intake –adequate intake of vitamins such as A, C and folate, and minerals such as iron and calcium –low fat intake, especially saturated fats –low sodium intake Can you identify the disease that a person may be at risk of with the examples of risk nutritional factors listed above?

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Cost of diet-related illnesses The high incidence of diet-related illnesses in Australia has consequences for both individuals and the community. These can include: –Direct costs (e.g. financial costs, such as medication, hospital care and government spending on the healthcare system) –Indirect costs (e.g. quality of life costs, such as the inability to attend to family duties, and reduced productivity, such as being unable to attend work)

© Goodacre, Slattery, Upton 2007 Discussion questions 1.Why is there so much concern about the prevalence of diet-related diseases in Australia? 2.Discuss other possible costs to individuals and the community of each of the diseases identified.