Research Finds Teenage Girls Carrying the Weight
of Poor Food Choices
National research findings show that girls aged nine to 13 years of age are the most
overweight age group among Australian children and the physical activity level for girls 12
years and older is consistent with following a sedentary lifestyle. The key issues appear to be
that some of these teenage girls are not making the best food choices to suit their changing
nutritional needs and many are involved in limited physical activity —so their waistlines are
suffering the results.
Professor Lynne Cobiac from Flinders University in Adelaide reported these results following a
review and analysis of the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity
Survey. She hopes that by gaining a better understanding of the food choices and eating habits
of the age group, some relationships between food, weight status and physical activity levels
can be identified.
Professor Cobiac found that from about nine years onwards when children start to make their
own food choices, two distinct eating patterns can be identified. This is despite the fact that
most children eat three meals and two snacks on an average day.
“Understanding what types of foods are eaten by girls in this age group is important because
their requirements for nutrients such as iron, zinc and calcium are increased to help support
their bodies through the adolescent growth spurt and the onset of menstruation. What we
found were distinct differences in the types and amount of food commonly consumed by the
girls in this age group,” explained Professor Cobiac.
Two dietary patterns she identified are best described as ‘meat, fruit and vegetable’ and
‘snacks, no meat and vegetable’.
Girls following the ‘meat, fruit and vegetable’ dietary pattern tended to eat a greater variety of
vegetables as vegetables appeared to accompany various types of meats, particularly at dinner
time. The most popular meat choices were red meat followed by chicken. These girls were
more likely to eat healthy food choices such as fruit, wholegrain breads and low fat yoghurt
throughout the day.
“We found that the ‘meat, fruit and vegetable’ pattern in the girls aged 9-16 years of age was
associated with a lower BMI and a higher zinc intake. The girls following this type of pattern
also were less likely to have takeaway foods, including fried potato chips,” said Professor
Cobiac.
Those eating the ‘snacks, no meat and vegetable’ dietary pattern appeared to be eating
smaller lighter meals throughout the day, characterised by more cereal dishes and low sugar
breakfast cereals. Girls following this particular pattern tended to consume nuts and seeds as
well as sugar-containing food choices, such as carbonated sugar beverages and sweet biscuits
along with a mixture of whole fat and lower fat dairy products.
“The ‘snacks, no meat and vegetable’ pattern was linked with higher energy intakes.
The research suggests girls aged 9 to 16 years should be encouraged to choose a variety of
foods that provide plenty of iron, zinc and calcium. Meats provide easily bio-available iron and
zinc and appear to be associated with intakes of both fruits and vegetables and lower fat food
sources of calcium.
For more information or to organise an interview, please contact Rosemary Biggs at
Hausmann Communications on (02) 8353 5736 / 0415 319 862 or
rosemary.biggs@hausmann.com.au
Issued on behalf of Meat & Livestock Australia
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