Diet and physical activity in Australian children
Few Australian children are meeting guidelines for the recommended daily intake of vegetables, with a high proportion of total daily energy intake coming from discretionary foods and many children exceeding recommended limits for consumption of added sugars. The proportion of children meeting physical activity recommendations declined in line with age.
Key Evidence
9% of Australian children were consuming the recommended daily intake of vegetables 2020–21
67.8% of 14 to 17-year-old boys consumed sugar-sweetened beverages at least weekly in 2020–21
16.6% of 9 to 13-year-olds were doing sufficient physical activity in 2011–12
Fruit and vegetable intake
Overall, 62.6% of children aged 2 to 17 years met the guidelines for recommended daily serves of fruit, while 9% met the guidelines for serves of vegetables in 2020–21. Only 8.5% of children met both guidelines, although this varied by age group.1
Discretionary food intake
Percentage of total daily energy intake from discretionary food
Discretionary foods are high in energy but low in nutrients and are not needed to meet nutrient requirements. On average, about one-third of total daily energy in 2011–12 in the diets of Australian children was from discretionary foods. The proportion increased with children’s age, with discretionary foods accounting for 30% of total energy intake among 2 to 3-year-olds; 38% for 4 to 8-year-olds; 40% for 9 to 13-year-olds; and 41% for 14 to 18-year-olds.2 Key contributors to children’s discretionary food intake include sweet biscuits, cakes and muffins, chocolate, snack foods, fried potato products, ice cream and pastries.2
Free sugars above recommended intake
A large proportion of Australian children exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended limits on energy from free sugars. Free sugars are sugars added to foods by manufacturers or consumers, and those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. The WHO recommends limiting energy from free sugars to less than 10% of daily energy intake (around 12 teaspoons).3 In 2011–12, the proportion of Australian children exceeding the WHO recommendation for free sugar intake varied by age group.2
Average intake of added sugars
Boys aged 14 to 18 years had the highest average intake of added sugars in 2011–12. Average intake of added sugars increased with age, and boys consumed more added sugars than girls in all age groups. Added sugars are those added to foods by manufacturers or consumers, excluding those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices.4
Average intake of added sugars
Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4364.0.55.011 - Australian Health Survey: Consumption of added sugars, 2011-12. 2016. Table 1.1
Note: Converted from grams (divided by 4) and rounded to nearest teaspoon.
| Age group | Boys (teaspoons) | Girls (teaspoons) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 years | 8 | 8 |
| 4-8 years | 13 | 11 |
| 9-13 years | 17 | 15 |
| 14-18 years | 21 | 16 |
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption
Frequency of consuming sugar sweetened beverages
Among children and adolescents aged 2–17 years, boys consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) slightly more frequently than girls in 2020–21. Overall, 20.7% of children and adolescents consumed SSBs at least weekly, and 3.4% consumed them daily.5
Proportion of children who do not usually consume sugar-sweetened beverages
The majority of children aged 2 to 3 years (94.6%) did not usually consume any SSBs, but consumption increases with age, peaking among those aged 14–17 years, among whom only 54.6% did not consume SSBs.
Physical activity
In 2011–12, the proportion of children who did sufficient physical activity declined with age, with 74.9% of children aged 2 to 3 years; 42.8% of children aged 4 to 8; 16.6% of children aged 9 to 13; and 16.2% of children aged 14 to 18 doing sufficient physical activity.2
Content for this page was written by Melanie Nichols, Deakin University and reviewed by Kathryn Backholer and Gary Sacks, Co-Directors at the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition at Deakin University. For more information about the approach to content on the site please see About | Obesity Evidence Hub.