Do you want fries with that – junk food addiction?

I remember the very first time I ate hot chips. My sister and I were being looked after one cold wet afternoon by a neighbour. She was English and introduced us to the pleasure that can be had from eating really good hot chips. She served them in newspaper cones with salt and vinegar. I have been a fan ever since.

Newspaper is not allowed to be used on foods anymore, but hot chips are now a regular for many people, including me – especially on cold wet afternoons!!!!!

A recent report on the Australian Health Survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown that one in five of all teenage males are likely to have eaten hot chips in a typical day. This goes with the one in four who would have eaten a burger, of some type, on the same day. Interestingly, the proportion of burger eaters on a typical day is less in the general population, at “only” one in 14.

The basic findings from the survey is that “junk food”, like burgers and hot chips, is now a staple for teenage and young adult males in this country.

The Survey also found that 51 percent of teenage males would have consumed a soft drink within a day of the interview. For the male 19-30 age group the proportion was 44 percent. The general population sits at around 30 percent.

So not only are “junk foods” a big part of the diet of teenage and young adult males, but soft drink is a well.

These results are not the only scary findings from the survey, the following are also a major cause for concern when it comes to our nature’s health and increasing obesity rate;

• 75 percent of the teenager / young adults surveyed had consumed vegetables on the interview day, but 50percent of those were potatoes (including hot chips).
• Only 40 percent of teenage / young adult males had consumed fruit within 24 hours of the interview, the proportion for females of the same age groups was 50 percent.
• Only 60 percent of the general population would eat fruit in a day – based on the results from the survey.
• One in seven teenagers drink coffee daily, with the proportion increasing as we age – 33 percent in young adults and 50 percent in the general population.

People have recognised that there is problem with their diet and 2.3 million have admitted to being on a diet and 3.7 million are avoiding foods due to an actual or perceived allergy / sensitivity.

The Survey identified that there are also increasing numbers of people consuming multivitamins to ensure proper nutrition instead of adjusting their diets to achieve the same aim.

In April the ABS released findings showing that 4 million Australian have a Vitamin D deficiency, with some states and territories being significantly worse than others. Tasmania has a proportion of 43 percent of it’s population with a Vitamin D deficiency but the ACT and Victoria are the leaders at 49 percent.

These reports are scary and mean that work must be done by authorities and medical personnel across the country. If “we are what we eat” then we are in big trouble as a country.

We have increasing obesity and diabetes rates, and the associated diseases and conditions that come with them. Improving our diets can only be a good thing and that should not be coming from a bottle. This report has significant opportunities for food manufacturers and hospitality businesses, if they just want to reach out and grab them.

Written by Rachelle Williams – the Green Food Safety Coach