NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

The Non-alcoholic beverages food group includes tea, coffee, juices, cordials, soft drinks, energy drinks and water.

WATER

Waters, municipal and bottled, unflavoured were consumed by 82% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Of those that consumed Waters, the median amount consumed was one litre (1,000 grams) per day (see Table 6.1).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in non-remote areas were less likely to have consumed Waters than those in remote areas (81% compared with 87%)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were less likely to have consumed Waters than non-Indigenous people (82% compared with 87%). This could be partially explained by higher cordial consumption by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (see cordial section below).

COFFEE AND TEA

Coffee (including coffee substitutes) was consumed by 28% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and 29% consumed Tea. However, consumption of each beverage type was closely associated with age. For example, Coffee was consumed by around one in twenty (4.6%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2-18 years and one in three (34%) people aged 19-30 years. One in two people aged 31-50 years and 51 years and over reported consuming Coffee (50% and 51% respectively) (see Table 4.1 and Table 4.3).

Among those who consumed Coffee (including coffee substitutes), median daily consumption was 330mls (equivalent to a large mug) while the median daily amount of tea consumed by tea drinkers was 400mls (around two small cups) (see Table 6.1).



Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were less likely than non-Indigenous people to have consumed both Coffee (including coffee substitutes) (28% compared with 46%) and Tea (29% compared with 38%). However, this difference between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous populations is influenced by the younger age structure of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, since consumption of each beverage type was associated with age. Tea consumption was similar between the two populations for every age group. Coffee (including coffee substitutes) consumption was higher for the 31-50 and 51 and over non-Indigenous age groups.

SOFT DRINKS AND FLAVOURED MINERAL WATERS

More than one in three (37%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consumed Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters. The consumption rate of Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population peaked among 19-30 year olds (47% of males and 54% of females). Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who reported consuming Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters, the median daily amount consumed was the equivalent of a regular can (375mls) (see Table 6.1).



Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in non-remote areas were more likely than those in remote areas to have consumed Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters (39% compared with 32%) (see Table 4.1 and Table 4.3).

A higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than non-Indigenous people consumed Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters (37% compared with 29%). This was particularly evident for children aged 2-3 years, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children three times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have consumed Soft drinks, and flavoured mineral waters (18% compared with 5.8%).



CORDIALS

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were twice as likely as non-Indigenous people to have consumed Cordials (15% compared with 7%). The consumption rate of Cordials was highest among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2-3 and 4-8 years (both 26%). Similar proportions of people living in non-remote and remote areas consumed Cordials.



FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICES AND DRINKS

Overall, just over one quarter (26%) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population consumed Fruit and vegetable juices and drinks. This was similar to consumption in the non-Indigenous population (see Table 4.3).

Consumption of Fruit and vegetable juices and drinks was highest among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 9-13 years (42%). The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consuming these products declined in subsequent age groups, to 9.1% of those aged 51 years and over (see Table 4.1).

Of those who consumed Fruit and vegetable juices and drinks, the median amount consumed was 1 cup (250mls) (see Table 6.1).