To What Extent are Food, Culture, Economics and the Natural Environment Reflected in the Language of the Australian and Brazilian Food-based Dietary Guidelines?

Our aim was to review literature describing language use in dietary guidelines and explore the extent to which food, culture, economics and the natural environment are reflected in the language of the Australian, compared to the Brazilian food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs).

Australia’s FBDGs are based on the best available scientific evidence and claim to “form a bridge between research and evidence-based advice to address the major health challenge of improving Australians’ eating patterns”. Brazil’s FBDGs recognise reasons beyond health for people’s food choices.

Not a lot of attention has been paid to language use in dietary guidelines. The reviewed studies suggest that language in dietary guidelines should be unambiguous for consumers and evolve with national nutrition priorities. A notable difference between Australian and Brazilian FBDGs was that Australia centralised individuals and individual food groups, whereas Brazil placed people in an ecosystem. Inclusion of words that speak to how food is prepared and eaten, to expressions of culture and community, and to strategies people use for enhancing and protecting livelihoods and planetary health may enhance the relevance of future dietary guidelines.