Australian women could be missing out on vital nutrients, as new research conducted by leading global nutrition and fitness tracking app MyFitnessPal reveals they’re struggling with a lack of time and sufficient information on women’s nutrition.
With Women's Health Week taking place this week, Australian women are encouraged to consider the impact nutrition has on their overall health and wellbeing, as research reveals eight in ten women (79%) are concerned they’re not incorporating enough nutrients into their diets.
According to key findings from the MyFitnessPal 2023 State of Women’s Health survey, time-poor Australian women could be missing out on key nutrients as over three quarters (78%) say they sometimes sacrifice healthy meals for convenience. Concerningly, almost three quarters also admit to even occasionally skipping meals due to lack of time.
When it comes to fueling their bodies, iron and fibre, which are generally known for helping with energy and heart health, came out on top as the nutrients women are most likely to be missing out on.
In addition to being time-poor, almost half (44%) of women don’t feel there is sufficient nutritional information tailored specifically for women. With so much conflicting information available, this could be making it harder for women to make informed choices about their health and nutrition.
To help support women in a small way and keep them informed on their day-to-day nutrition choices, MyFitnessPal launched an in-app Eating for Impact Plan earlier this year. The weekly program has been designed by expert dieticians to improve overall energy, sleep, focus and mood.
“Designed by women, for women, the Eating for Impact Plan addresses the connection between our nutritional intake and the impact it has on a variety of health factors that are unique to women,” shares Stephanie Nelson, MS, RD and MyFitnessPal in-house registered dietitian. “When we track what we eat, we can begin to understand how certain foods make us feel in the short and long term, allowing us to make more informed food choices that support us in feeling our best.”
Based on MyFitnessPal’s research of women’s health concerns, the Eating for Impact plan has been developed around four key areas of health. Tips include:
- Eating for Energy - Feeling fatigued? Try adding more fats to your diet through avocados, nuts, olive oil, or hummus. Often, women don’t eat enough fat due to the long-standing advice of eating a low-fat diet for health and weight loss. These sources of fat, though, can be energising and heart healthy.
- Eating for Mood - The key to mental health is through your gut. Healthy bacteria in your gut produce compounds that help your body maintain hormone balance. And, many mood disorders like depression have been linked to gut health problems. To maintain a healthy gut for mental health, eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods like yoghurt, tempeh, kimchi, or kombucha.
- Eating for Focus - One of the most important things you can do to fuel for focus is to eat a nourishing meal that has a carbohydrate source (like fruits, whole grains, or beans), a protein source (dairy, meat, or tofu), and a fat source (olive oil, nuts, or avocados).
- Eating for Sleep - Research has shown that nuts and seeds can improve the quality of sleep. For example, walnuts which contain tryptophan have been shown to promote sleep. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid the body uses to make melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin helps regulate sleep while serotonin helps to regulate mood, appetite pain and sleep. Try snacking on some nuts or maybe have a warm glass of your favourite nut milk before bed.
As part of the Eating for Impact Plan, users will receive easy-to-implement tips and daily tasks for small changes that will empower them to unlock their best selves through better, smarter choices - and gain a better understanding of nutrition’s impact on women’s physical and mental health.
To learn more about the Eating for Impact plan, visit www.myfitnesspal.com. MyFitnessPal is free for download via App Store and Google Play.
Key Facts:
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New research reveals eight in ten Australian women are concerned about not getting enough nutrients in their diet
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Time-poor Australian women could be missing out on a balanced diet as over three quarters (78%) sacrifice healthy meals for convenience and almost three quarters (69%) report occasionally even skipping meals due to lack of time
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‘Eating for Impact’ nutrition plan launched to help inform women as almost half (44%) say they don’t get enough information about nutrition
About us:
About MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is the number 1 global nutrition and food tracking app. Since 2005, MyFitnessPal has empowered over 200 million users in over 120 countries to achieve their health and wellbeing goals through logging food intake, recording exercise activity and tracking their wellness habits.
MyFitnessPal is on a mission to support Australians to manage their health goals on their own terms. Through personalised data-led insights, nutritional guidance and unwavering support, MyFitnessPal provides users with tools for positive, healthy change.
The MyFitnessPal app is available on the App Store and Google Play store. To learn more, visit myfitnesspal.com or follow MyFitnessPal on Tik Tok, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Contact details:
For more information about MyFitnessPal, contact: myfitnesspal@iconagency.com.au
