Nutrition position statements
The Heart Foundation’s food and nutrition position statements have been developed to keep you informed about our position on a range of nutrition issues relating to heart health.
Our food and nutrition position statements have been developed to keep you informed about our position on a range of topics relating to heart disease and heart healthy living.
They also share our evidence-based view on nutrition related issues in these areas.
Position statements
Heart Healthy Eating Pattern (Dietary Position Statement)
Poor diet is a leading risk factor for heart disease and current eating patterns are contributing to ill health in Australia. This position statement outlines heart healthy eating patterns and the steps needed to improve current eating patterns in Australia. Healthy eating patterns do not rely on one type of food or nutrient; they are a balanced combination of foods, chosen regularly, over time.
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Meat and Heart Healthy Eating (Dietary Position Statement)
This position statement explores the evidence around the consumption of unprocessed meat and poultry, which are not as beneficial a source of protein as fish and legumes. It makes recommendations for the place of meat in heart healthy eating.
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Eggs and Heart Healthy Eating (Dietary Position Statement)
The evidence on the relationship between eating eggs and the risk of heart disease has changed in recent years and this position statement summarises the current evidence and outlines our recommendations for eating eggs as part of a healthy diet.
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Dairy and Heart Healthy Eating  (Dietary Position Statement)
Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese can be a part of a healthy eating pattern, as long as they are not the main source of fat. In this position statement, we look at the current evidence and present our recommendations for the role that dairy can play in heart healthy eating.
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Dietary Fat and Heart Healthy Eating  (Dietary Position Statement)
Australians need to significantly change their current eating patterns to improve heart health, particularly in the area of the sources and types of fat we consume. The Heart Foundation has commissioned or led several reviews relating to the intake of dietary fat and heart health. They form the basis for the recommendations in this position statement.
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Salt (Dietary Position Statement)
The majority of Australians are consuming salt at levels that are higher than the current recommended daily intake. In this position statement, we look at which foods are contribute to this and outline a heart healthy diet that is naturally low in salt. We also provide recommendations on how much salt is considered safe for people to have in their diet to reduce heart disease risk factors, including high blood pressure.
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Fish and seafood (Dietary Position Statement)
The current evidence shows that people who have a diet high in fish tend to have lower risks of a range of chronic health conditions, including heart disease. The Heart Foundation recommends that all Australians try to eat two to three servings of fish per week. The recommendations we provide in this position statement are based on commissioned evidence, other reputable guidelines and an analysis of Australian dietary intake.
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Phytosterol/stanol enriched foods (Dietary Position Statement)
Adult Australians with a high risk of heart disease can reduce their cholesterol by eating phytosterols that occur naturally in plant foods, as well as plant sterol enriched foods. We developed this position statement to help health professionals and the general public better understand the role of phytosterol/stanol enriched foods in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease.
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Heart Foundation nutrition recommendations (2019) (Dietary Position Statement)
In 2019, we released three new evidence papers that updated our advice on eggs, dairy foods and red meat for healthy Australians. This added to our recommendations on dietary fat (2018) and heart healthy eating patterns (2016). This resource summarises these changes, explains how they fit in with our general nutrition advice, and gives advice for specific patient groups.
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Alcohol (Dietary Position Statement)
This position statement summarises the contemporary evidence on the association between alcohol and cardiovascular health and makes recommendations on alcohol consumption limits for different groups. The recommendations we provide in this position statement are based on the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Guideline to reduce risks from drinking alcohol (2020) and a review of the evidence into secondary prevention of heart disease.
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You might also be interested in...
Nutrition Evidence Summaries and Reviews
Our evidence summaries and reviews contain the current knowledge used to develop the Heart Foundation’s position statements and recommendations on food and nutrition.
Nutrition resources for patients
Resources to help people follow a heart healthy eating pattern in their daily lives.
Healthy eating and nutrition resources
Small changes make a big difference – these nutrition resources can help you adopt heart healthy eating patterns by showing you how to make small changes that can continue long term. We have developed these resources that translate the latest nutrition evidence for use in your everyday life.
Last updated10 March 2024
| Last reviewed15 February 2024