26/01/2026
Part 3/3
🐨🌏 Australian Application:
On January the 7th 2026, the US food system was flipped upside down! Corporate incentives were identified as a leading reason for the policies that had led to the nation’s significant decline in health.
For decades, Australia’s dietary guidelines have been similar to the U.S. — grain heavy and low fat and coupled with a food system increasingly shaped by ultra processed products. Now the data is undeniable: chronic disease, metabolic issues, and mental health challenges have been on the rise.
What we’re seeing overseas is a wakeup call for us too. When the US flipped its food pyramid, it wasn’t just about nutrition — it was about reclaiming the body from systems that profit off confusion, addiction and poor health.
In 2022, 50% of Australia's population (across all ages) were also living with one or more chronic conditions. According to the ‘Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024’, nearly 1/3 of Australia’s total disease burden is avoidable through reducing modifiable lifestyle risks (Prevalence of chronic conditions | Australian Bureau of Statistics).
Australian dietitians and medical professionals currently follow the 2013 ‘Australian Guide to Healthy Eating' (Australian guide to healthy eating | Eat For Health). This ‘pie chart’ is divided into 5 portions; two portions with equal focus on grains/carbs & vegetables, and the remaining 3 with approximately equal focus on meat/vegetable-based proteins, dairy (predominately low-fat options) and fruit. Outside the pie are ‘sometimes in small amounts foods’ – ie your processed foods and ‘use in small amounts’ group, which includes your oils (from seed to olive oil - no discrimination).
Our current guidelines still place a heavy emphasis on grains and low fat. Dr Aseem Malhotra, leading UK cardiac specialist has a good article in BMJ regarding this – see https://www.bmj.com/bmj/section-pdf/749255?path=/bmj/347/7930/Observations.full.pdf. One of the most important points this article raises is the implication of carbohydrate intake on LDL levels and the subsequent negative impact on cardiovascular disease. He also notes recent studies have not supported any significant association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular risk and in fact, may actually be protective.
There is a review currently underway for the Australian guidelines, with an update due this year. Will be interesting to see what this review produces, following the release of the new US model!
The lesson for Australians is simple:
Let today, a day of national reflection, be a reminder that Australia is facing its own health crisis, and we don’t need to wait for guidelines to catch up before defending our health, supporting local farmers and choosing real, whole food. This is about quietly stepping away from systems that profit from our decline and taking responsibility for the health entrusted to us. Every dollar we spend and every meal we choose shapes the future of our families far more than any policy ever will. On this Australia Day, let us be reminded that caring for our bodies is part of caring for our country. While policies evolve slowly, our choices can shift immediately — toward whole foods, local growers, and away from systems that profit from our decline. It’s a quiet act of stewardship, for ourselves and for the nation we love.
Look after your body. Learn from the data. Eat real food. Don’t wait for policy to change before you do.
✝️Faith Application
Your body is not a marketplace - it is a temple, entrusted to you by God and worth protecting. It is not for exploitation.
👉“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19
👉“You were bought with a price.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20
👉“Honour God with your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20
👉“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31
Jesus flipped tables to defend God’s holy space. Time we flipped dietary & health advice, shaped by corporate incentives, on their head too!
🇦🇺HA2
