This presentation will provide insights into consumers’ lay understanding of nutrition and healthy eating and how this shapes their interpretation of two food guides currently being used in Australia: the Healthy Eating Pyramid and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Plate. Ten focus groups were conducted with Western Australian adults (n=50) and children (n=36). Participants were asked to comment on the advice provided in the two food guides. Areas of discrepancy between participants’ nutrition beliefs and the content of the guides primarily related to carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and their respective placement in each food guide.
Participants in several groups felt that carbohydrates featured too prominently, particularly in the pyramid. Specifically, they considered carbohydrates as represented by grains and cereals to be generally unhealthy. In contrast, fat was generally considered unhealthy but there was acceptance that it came in good and bad varieties. Similarly, proteins, which were generally considered healthy, were also thought to have a hierarchy with some protein foods (i.e. fish) being considered healthier than others (especially red meat). Few participants articulated a difference between refined and naturally occurring carbohydrates, although there was general consensus that the vegetable food group was the healthiest group.
In many instances, these lay beliefs appeared to be based on various fad diets promoted in the media (e.g. the paleo diet, the Atkins diet). These beliefs clearly impacted the acceptability of each guide. When the beliefs were discrepant with advice provided in the food guides, consumers reported greater disliking and distrust of the guide. This study highlights a concerning phenomenon in which lay beliefs, influenced by popular culture, can lead to disagreement with and distrust in evidence-based food guides.