Significance of Promotion of Accessible and Nutritious Food in Australia - Essay Example

Name Tutor’s Name Course Date Promoting Accessible and Nutritious Food Introduction Promotion of accessible and nutritious food has been emphasised as a critical activity necessary for the attainment of physical wellness in Australia. Specifically, it has been argued that without accessible and nutritious food, a significant percentage of the population is prone to lifestyle diseases which include obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and even particular cancer types (Preventative Health Australia 103). The importance of promoting accessible and nutritious food has also been underscored by Preventative Health Australia, which argues that it is likely to increase the demand for foods that are of benefit to people’s bodies and also reduce the demand for unhealthy foods. Significance of Promotion of Accessible and Nutritious Food in Australia Australia, like most democratic countries in the developed world, gives its citizenry the freedom to make choices. However, the choices that people make are not necessarily always the best. Often, the food choices that people make are not guided by the nutritious content of the food. Instead, other factors such as the disposable incomes that people have, their environment, education, workplace, culture and taste and preferences often guide their food choices (Harris and Lloyd 5). Promoting accessible and nutritious food is hence one way of ensuring that people are aware of the impact that healthy and unhealthy food choices have on their health. In other words, it is a way of empowering the populace with information that will probably help them make healthier food choices. Another significance of promotion of accessible and nutritious food is linked to the increase of lifestyle diseases as noted by Preventative Health Australia (111). Notably, a significant number of Australians are unaware of the likelihood that the food they eat could be increasing their risk of getting specific ailments. With promotion of accessible and nutritious food, awareness would be created among citizens who have been ignorant of the effect that food choices have on their health. The third significance of promotion of accessible and nutritious food is that the food supply chain would most likely react to the awareness created, hence reducing the supply of unhealthy foods, and in some cases, forcing manufacturers to re-evaluate their processes in an effort to retain their market share in the food industry (Preventative Health Australia 103). Three Determinants and their Influence on the Promotion of Accessible and Nutritious Food Political will has been cited as a major determinant of whether or not countries promote accessible and nutritious food (Johnston, Fanzo and Cogill 420). The political will in any country affects the policies that are used in the food supply chain and also influences the programmes and policies that a government uses to influence nutrition and health in the country (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 46-49). Additionally, political will influences the presence or absence of programmes that educate the population on food and nutrition (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 56). Another determinant of promotion of accessible and nutritious food has been identified as the understanding (or the lack thereof) of nutritious food and its benefits (Johnston et al. 420). While Johnston et al. agree that accessible and nutritious food should be promoted, they note that such an exercise requires people involved in the promotional activities to understand what nutritional foods really are, where, how and when they are found, and how they work to improve the consumers’ health outcomes (420). Without a clear understanding of the foregoing factors, Johnston et al. note that the promotion activities would not be fully comprehensive (420). It is also important that stakeholders understand how consumers select their food and the factors that influence food selection. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for example notes that information and marketing is a major factor that influences food selection by consumers (113). Additionally, people’s cultures, their attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, food prices, household incomes and expenditure and food-related knowledge are also other factors that affect consumers’ food choices (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 92-106). Arguably, unless an understanding of all the aforementioned factors is fostered by people interested in promoting accessible and nutritious food, such people would stand the risk of coming up with programmes and initiatives that are not applicable among different consumer segments. The third determinant relates to coordination among stakeholders (Johnston et al. 420). The government by itself is not fully conversant with all the requirements of nutritious or accessible food. Naturally therefore, the government needs to work with the producers, marketers, retailers and other parties who sell ready-to-eat foods. Johnston et al. specifically note that different stakeholders need to be closely involved in the development of policies and programmes that promote accessible and nutritious food (421). Unfortunately, such a scenario, where all stakeholders work together to promote accessible and nutritious food, does not always happen. In its absence, coordination is not possible, and results of promoting accessible and nutritious food are arguably suboptimal. Existing Strategies In 2013, the Commonwealth of Australia published a dietary guideline, which consists of five guidelines (National Health and Medical Research Council v). Apparently, publishing such guidelines is one of the strategies the government is using. The five guidelines emphasise: eating nutritious foods and exercise for purposes of maintaining a healthy weight; eating foods from five identified food groups; limiting the intake of alcohol, processed sugars, salt and saturated fat; breastfeeding babies; and preparing and storing food safely (National Health and Medical Research Council v). While this guide is helpful to those who have access to it, one would question its reach to the majority of Australians. Additionally, such guidelines (and especially the 2013 one) can be faulted for failing to address the accessibility of nutritious food. For example, the guideline does not address how people from low-income households can access nutritious foods using their limited budgets. Another strategy that is common among regional governments is the promotion of healthy eating habits among school going children. Curiously, a search on Google to identify whether the Commonwealth government has a similar strategy did not turn any results. However, it is important to note that several territory governments including South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland have food and nutritional programmes targeting children. While educating children is arguably an ideal way of shaping their understanding of nutritious food choices in future, it is worth noting that most food choices are made by adults (Government of Western Australia 30). Therefore, if such lessons do not engage parents, the results may not be optimal. Additionally, it is important to note that children are very impressionable. As a result, their food choices will be affected by television advertisements or their parents’ food choices among other things Conclusion This paper has identified that promotion of accessible and nutritious food is significant because it empowers and educates the masses, affects the demand and supply of food items in the market, and affects the prevalence of lifestyle diseases. The paper has further identified three determinants of promotion of accessible and nutritious food. Specifically, has the paper identified political will, understanding of what constitutes nutritious food and coordination among stakeholders as the three determinants of this health promotion activity. The paper further highlighted existing strategies as guidelines whose reach to the population is questionable, and regional government initiatives in schools whose effect on adults cannot be guaranteed. Based on the findings herein, this paper recommends that the Commonwealth government should devise strategies that reach the masses more effectively. Additionally, while awareness about nutritious food seems widespread, it appears that the government also needs to address the issue of accessibility. Works Cited Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s Food & Nutrition 2012. 7 Jun. 2012. Web. 6 May 2015. . Government of Western Australia. “Western Australian Health Promotion Strategic Framework 2012-1016.” 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 6 May 2015. . Harris, Mark and Jane Llyod. “The Role of Australian Primary Health Care in the Prevention of Chronic Disease.” Australian National Preventive Health Agency White Paper. Sept. (2012): 1-27. Johnston, Jessica, Jessica Fanzo and Bruce Cogill. “Understanding Sustainable Diets: A Descriptive Analysis of the Determinants and Processes that Influence Diets and Their Impact on Health, Food Security, and Environmental Sustainability’, Adv. Nutr. 5 (2014): 418-429. National Health and Medical Research Council. “Australian Dietary Guidelines.” National Health and Medical research Council, Canberra. (2013): 1-210. Web. Preventative Health Australia. “Chapter 2: Obesity in Australia: A Need for Urgent Action.” Jun. 2009. Web. 6 May 2015. . Reflective Practice Writing this paper has enabled me to understand the complex nature of promoting accessible and nutritious food. From my research, I now understand that while people might be aware of what to eat and what to avoid, factors such as income levels, attitudes and beliefs as well as tastes and preferences sometimes hinder them from making the right food choices. I have also learnt the importance of partnership among stakeholders in the food industry. For example, as long as hotels and food processors continue preparing or manufacturing foods with suboptimal nutrition, there will always be demand for such foods. However, I have also learnt that demand for healthy food options can change the supply dynamics significantly since the unhealthy foods would no longer be in high demand, hence making respective suppliers to rethink their business models. Writing the paper has also enabled me to realise that different stakeholders have different roles to play in the promotion of accessible and nutritious food. While the government seems to have the major responsibility for the welfare of Australia’s population, it is pretty obvious that it cannot succeed without the input of other stakeholders. Therefore, any policy or programme developed for purposes of enhancing the promotion of accessible and nutritious food would need to have the input of all players in the food supply chain. Finally, writing this paper has also enhanced my research skills, especially in the use of keywords. Read More