Comparing Australian children’s dietary intakes with the Eat-Lancet Commission Planetary Health Diet targets and Australian Dietary Guidelines: a cross-sectional study

As healthy eating recommendations shift to incorporate environmentally sustainable eating principles, it becomes crucial to understand whether children’s dietary intakes align with global recommendations such as the EAT-Lancet Commission Planetary Health Diet (PHD), in addition to national health-promoting guidelines, including the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the alignment of young Australian children’s food intakes with these recommendations.

Dietary data from the 2011–2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey for children aged 2–8 years were used and compared with, energy-adjusted target amounts of the PHD and ADG Foundation Diet. Usual energy intakes were calculated for two age groups (2–3; 4–8 years) and used to proportionally adjust the adult PHD target amounts for children. Mean intake of each food group (g/day) was determined through one 24-h dietary recall.

For both age groups (2–3-years: n = 463; 4–8-years: n = 776), the daily mean consumption of wholegrains, starchy vegetables, other vegetables, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, and unsaturated oils was below the PHD targets, while the consumption of red meat, dairy products, poultry, and added sugars was above the targets. The ADG Foundation Diet trends were similar to the PHD for wholegrains, vegetables, nuts, and legumes but the daily mean consumption of dairy products and red meat was below ADG Foundation Diet targets and above PHD targets.

Australian children’s diets do not align with the PHD and ADG Foundation Diet. Substantial changes are required to improve dietary practices, emphasizing the gap between current consumption and recommended guidelines.