What are the major diet-related health issues in Australia and how are they linked to nutrition?
Diet and health in Australia, including the relationship between diet and diet-related disorders, nutritional status across population groups, and the dietary guidelines that promote good health
A focused answer to the HSC Food Technology dot point on diet and health in Australia, covering diet-related disorders, the nutritional status of population groups, the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and the relationship between food choices and health outcomes.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Contemporary Nutrition Issues examines how diet affects health in Australia. This dot point asks you to explain the relationship between what Australians eat and the diet-related disorders they experience, to describe the nutritional status of different population groups, and to outline the dietary guidelines designed to promote good health. You need to link specific dietary patterns to specific health outcomes and to use the official guidelines as evidence. The focus is on understanding nutrition as a public-health issue, not just individual food choices.
The relationship between diet and health
Diet is one of the strongest modifiable influences on health. Eating patterns high in saturated fat, added sugar, salt and refined, energy-dense foods, combined with low intakes of fibre, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, raise the risk of chronic disease. Conversely, a balanced diet that follows national guidelines supports healthy growth, maintains a healthy weight, and reduces the risk of these disorders. The relationship is dose-related and long-term, which is why public-health nutrition focuses on lifelong eating patterns rather than single meals.
Diet-related disorders
Several major disorders are linked to diet. Overweight and obesity result from sustained energy intake exceeding energy expenditure and are widespread among Australian adults and children; obesity is itself a risk factor for further disease. Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with excess weight and diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrate. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is linked to high saturated fat, high salt and low fibre intakes that raise blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Some cancers, particularly bowel cancer, are associated with low fibre, high processed-meat and high alcohol consumption. At the other extreme, nutrient deficiencies such as iron-deficiency anaemia and inadequate calcium still occur in some groups, and disordered eating affects others.
Nutritional status of population groups
Nutritional needs and risks vary across the population. Children and adolescents need adequate energy and nutrients for growth, but many consume too much discretionary food and sugary drinks. Adults face the highest rates of overweight and chronic disease. Older Australians are at risk of inadequate protein, calcium and vitamin D, contributing to muscle loss and osteoporosis. Pregnant women need extra folate, iron and iodine. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people in lower socioeconomic and remote communities, experience poorer nutritional status and higher rates of diet-related disease, reflecting access, cost and other social factors. Recognising these differences is central to a strong answer.
The dietary guidelines
The Australian Dietary Guidelines and the accompanying Australian Guide to Healthy Eating translate nutrition science into practical advice. Core messages include eating a wide variety from the five food groups, making most choices vegetables, legumes, fruit and wholegrains, limiting foods high in saturated fat, added sugar and salt, choosing reduced-fat dairy, drinking plenty of water, and being active to balance energy intake. The guidelines underpin tools such as the Health Star Rating and government nutrition campaigns, and they give you an authoritative benchmark to evaluate diets against in exam answers.
Why this matters
Understanding diet and health lets you analyse why certain eating patterns cause disease and evaluate strategies to improve population nutrition. Examiners reward answers that link a specific dietary factor to a specific disorder, refer to the dietary guidelines, and recognise that some population groups are more vulnerable than others.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of NESA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
2022 HSC2 marksAn example of an adult's daily diet is provided below. Breakfast: bacon and fried egg on white bread roll with butter and BBQ sauce; Lunch: meat pie and sauce; Dinner: deep fried fish with chips; Snacks: potato chips and a 250 g bag of confectionery; Beverage: coffee, regularly consumed. Outline ONE dietary disorder that may develop as a result of this diet.Show worked answer →
For 2 marks, name ONE relevant dietary disorder and outline how this diet causes it (cause and effect).
The diet is high in saturated fat (bacon, butter, deep-fried fish and chips), refined sugar (BBQ sauce, confectionery) and energy, and low in fibre, fruit and vegetables.
Type 2 diabetes is a suitable answer. The high intake of sugar and energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods leads to excess kilojoule consumption and weight gain. There is a direct correlation between obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes, where cells become resistant to insulin and blood glucose is no longer regulated effectively.
Other accepted disorders include obesity (excess kilojoules stored as fat) or hypertension. One mark is for naming the disorder, one for outlining the dietary link.
2022 HSC4 marksIdentify a different dietary disorder to the one outlined in part (a) and propose lifestyle practices that may improve an individual's nutritional status for this disorder.Show worked answer →
For 4 marks, identify a different disorder and propose at least TWO lifestyle practices (not just diet changes) that improve nutritional status.
- Disorder: obesity
- A continued high-energy, high-fat diet leads to excess body fat and a raised body mass index.
- Lifestyle practice 1 - regular physical activity
- Exercise increases energy expenditure, helps create an energy deficit for weight loss, and raises HDL cholesterol, improving overall health.
- Lifestyle practice 2 - changing social and food-related habits
- Social practices such as barbecues, cafe meals and parties often involve energy-dense food and beverages. Choosing lower-kilojoule, lower-glycaemic-index options in these settings, and reducing portion sizes, improves nutritional status over time.
Markers reward a disorder that differs from part (a) plus two distinct lifestyle (not solely dietary) practices, each linked to the disorder.
2023 HSC3 marksDescribe a diet-related condition that is experienced by a specific group in Australia.Show worked answer →
For 3 marks, name a specific group, name a diet-related condition, and describe its characteristics and dietary cause.
- Group and condition: osteoporosis in elderly (post-menopausal) women
- This condition is more likely to develop where women have had multiple pregnancies and inadequate dietary calcium over their lifetime.
- Characteristics
- Osteoporosis is characterised by a loss of bone density, so bones become weak and brittle. This leads to an increased chance of bone breakage and stress fractures, which are slow to heal, and can cause a stooped posture.
- Dietary link
- A long-term shortfall of calcium (and vitamin D needed for calcium absorption) means the body draws calcium from bone, reducing bone mass. Markers reward a clearly identified group, the condition, and a sound description linking diet to the condition.