ENERGY

Dietary energy is required by the body for metabolic processes, physiological functions, muscular activity, heat production and growth and development.¹ Energy requirements vary with age, sex, body size and physical activity, so the amount of energy consumed would be expected to vary considerably throughout the population.

The average energy intake was 9,175 kilojoules (kJ) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and 7,261 (kJ) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females (see Table 1.1). However, this is likely to be an under-estimate due to the inherent under-reporting bias associated with dietary surveys. It is difficult, from the available data, to accurately estimate the amount of under-reporting that has occurred and therefore how much energy and nutrients might be missing from the intakes reported by respondents. One method is to estimate the mean amount of energy required for each individual to achieve an EI:BMR ratio of 1.55 (i.e. the conservative minimum energy requirement for a normally active but sedentary population). Using this method, it is estimated that the average energy intakes may be understated by as much as 24% in males and 31% in females. This compares to 17% for males and 21% for females in the 2011-12 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS) population. The factor most closely associated with under-reporting was BMI, where people who were overweight or obese were most likely to have lower than expected energy intakes. For more information see Under-reporting in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey in the Users' Guide.

Energy intakes were lowest among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2-3 years who averaged 6,169 kJ. Males aged 19-30 year old had the highest energy intakes (10,620 kJ). Female energy intakes were highest among the 9-13 year olds (8,184 kJ).



The leading sub-major food groups contributing to energy were Regular breads, and bread rolls (9.6%), Mixed dishes where cereal is the major ingredient (8.6%), Beef, sheep and pork (including mixed dishes) (7.0%), Poultry (including mixed dishes) (5.7%), Potatoes (4.9%) and Dairy milk (4.7%) (see Table 8.1).

Was there a difference by remoteness?

The average daily energy intake for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in non-remote areas was 8,305 kJ compared to 7,873 kJ for those living in remote areas. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males living in non-remote areas had energy intakes 10% higher than those living in remote areas (9,355 kg and 8,507 kg respectively). Comparatively, the energy intakes between females living in non-remote and remote areas were similar (7,266 kJ and 7,243 kJ respectively).

How did this compare with non-Indigenous people?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had a lower average daily energy intake than non-Indigenous people (8,213 kJ compared with 8,540 kJ) (see Table 1.1 and Table 1.3).

As stated in the introduction to this chapter, both of these are likely to be an under-estimate due to the inherent under-reporting bias associated with dietary surveys based on a range of analyses, it appears that the amount of under-reporting is greater in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population than the non-Indigenous population so this comparison should be made with caution. For more information see Under-reporting in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey in the Users' Guide for further information on Low Energy Reporters.

ENDNOTES

1. National Health and Medical Research Council 2006, Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council <http://www.nrv.gov.au/dietary-energy>, Last accessed 04/02/2015.