CARBOHYDRATE
Carbohydrates are the major source of energy for the body and are an important source of fuel for brain cells. The two major types of carbohydrates are sugars and starch (complex carbohydrates). The latter are found in many foods including starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams and corn. Grain foods such as wheat, oats and rice are also an important source of complex carbohydrates. Sugars include natural sugar which is found in foods such as fruit and milk products as well as the added sugar in a range of processed foods.1
The average amount of carbohydrate intake consumed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people per day was 228 grams (see Table 1.1). Carbohydrate contributed 46% of total energy intakes, with Total starch contributing 24% of energy and Total sugars contributing 21% of energy.
Total starch
The leading sub-major food groups contributing to Total starch were: Regular breads, and bread rolls (providing 28% of starch), Mixed dishes where cereal is the major ingredient (14%), Potatoes (11%), Breakfast cereals, ready to eat (7.4%) and Flours and other cereal grains and starches (mainly rice) (6.2%) (see Table 10.11).
Total sugars
Total sugars include those sugars naturally present in foods, such as fruit and milk as well as the sugars added to processed foods and beverages. The food groups contributing the greatest amounts of sugars were: Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters (providing 17% of sugars), Fruit products and dishes (11%), Sugar, honey and syrups (9.4%), Fruit and vegetable juices, and drinks (7.9%), Dairy milk (7.5%) and Cordials (6.4%) (see Table 10.9).
Was there a difference by remoteness?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in non-remote areas derived a larger proportion of energy from Total sugars compared to those in remote areas (22% and 19% respectively). However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote areas derived a larger proportion of energy from Total starch (25% compared with 24% for people in non-remote areas) (see Table 2.1).
How did this compare with non-Indigenous people?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people derived similar amounts of their energy intake from Carbohydrates, Total sugars, and Total starch.
The highest contributor for Total sugars in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population was Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters – this combined with Cordials accounted for almost one quarter (24%) of energy from Total sugars compared with only 12% for non-Indigenous people.
ENDNOTES
1. National Health and Medical Research Council 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council, <https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines_130530.pdf>, Last accessed 20/02/2015.
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