The CSIRO surveyed more than 235,000 Australian adults over eight years. It found alcohol, takeaway food, and confectionary dominate diets, with only four in 10 adults eating three or more vegetables at their main meal.
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00:00 That's a good one.
00:04 Sue Strath tries to get plenty of fruit and veg in her grandkids diet.
00:08 They're pretty good, strawberries, raspberries, apples, bananas.
00:12 At least three a day is a staple for Matt Mahoney.
00:16 Try and have kiwi fruit, apples, oranges, pears.
00:19 The pair would pass the CSIRO's healthy diet score with flying colours.
00:25 Scientists scrutinised the eating habits of 235,000 Australians over the past eight years.
00:31 The Australian dietary guidelines have recommendations based on your age and gender.
00:36 So by comparing what you eat to the dietary guidelines we're able to create a score for
00:41 each person.
00:42 Australians are devouring far too many discretionary foods.
00:46 Things like alcohol, cakes, biscuits, chocolates and confectionery.
00:50 On this component the average participants scored 20 out of 100, with 50 being a pass.
00:55 The average overall diet score barely scraped through at 55.
01:00 Those foods high in salt, fat and sugar, we tend to eat two or three times more than what
01:05 we should each day.
01:07 Poor habits were particularly present among construction workers and those in beauty and
01:11 fashion.
01:12 Debbie Gwala is a retail worker who bucks the trend.
01:15 I make all my meals and take them to work.
01:18 I don't buy anything unless I'm caught out.
01:20 It's recommended adults include at least three vegetables in their main meal.
01:25 Just 40% are regularly meeting that target.
01:28 Planning ahead is suggested not only to make healthier choices but also keep costs down.
01:34 I think the barriers really are like just stress or going with the flow.
01:39 Researchers say cost and convenience are other influencing factors.
01:43 [end]
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