NEMO

Mental health and wellbeing

Nutrition Support Action Plan for case managers/key workers -
Assessing a consumer’s diet

You may have an idea that your • Whether grain products are
consumer is not eating a balanced diet, wholegrain or not (for example is
but have trouble working out what areas bread white or wholegrain)
to target first. Use the tables on the • Whether beverages contain caffeine
following pages to guide your general or not.
assessment of their diet. Once you have Step 2. Fill out the four tables on the
calculated how your consumer’s diet following pages (column ‘consumer’s
compares with the Australian Dietary diet’), based on your consumer’s
Guidelines, you can be more confident in answers.
the recommendations you make. Please Step 3. Compare their answers with the
note these are general guidelines and recommendations from each row.
may not be appropriate for all consumers Step 4. Advise on ways to increase or
(for example, if pregnant) – a dietitian can decrease foods for a more balanced diet.
provide individualised advice. If your consumer is on a budget, refer to
‘Healthy Shopping on a Budget’ on the
Step 1. Get an idea of what foods and NEMO mental health page for more
drinks your consumer usually has. You information. You can record the plan in
might need to clarify the following things: columns ‘action to improve diet’.
• The portions eaten (see the section
‘What’s a standard serve’) What’s a standard serve?
• The cooking methods used (in Grain (cereal) foods: 1 slice bread, ½
particular the amount and type of fat cup cooked pasta/rice/noodles, 2/3 cup
used if any) wheat cereal flakes; 3 crispbreads; 1
• Whether dairy products are full fat or crumpet
fat reduced (e.g., full cream milk or Vegetables: 1 cup salad; 1 medium
reduced fat milk) tomato; ½ cup cooked vegetables; ½
medium potato or other starchy

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Reviewed: August 2019
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: August 2021
References: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/nutrition
vegetables like sweet potato or cassava; 100g cooked fish (or a small tin of fish); 2
½ cup sweet corn; ½ cup beans, peas or eggs; 1 cup cooked legumes (lentils,
lentils chickpeas, baked beans); 30g

Fruit: 1 piece (for example, 1 apple, nuts/seeds; 170g tofu.

banana or orange); 2 small pieces (for Extras: 1 tbsp butter/hard margarine; 1

example, 2 kiwi fruits, plums or apricots); slice of plain cake/small cake-type muffin
1 cup diced/canned fruit with no added (40g); 1 tbsp honey/jam; 2-3 sweet plain
sugar. Only occasionally: ½ cup (125ml) biscuits; 2 scoops ice-cream; ½ chocolate
fruit juice. bar (25g); 30g potato chips; 1 can soft

Milk and alternatives: 1 cup (250ml) drink (375ml); ¼ meat pie; 12 hot chips

milk; 1 tub yoghurt (200g); 2 slices

cheese (40g); 1 cup (250ml) soy/rice milk,
calcium fortified.
Lean meat and alternatives: 65g cooked
lean red meat; 80g cooked lean poultry
(about half a regular chicken breast);

My
Diet analysis tables My
Nutrition
Table 1: Core food groups Nutrition
Core food group Consumer’s diet Recommendations Actions to improve
diet
Vegetables and Average number of serves per day: Goal serves per day*:
legumes/beans _______ Men: 6
Women: 5
Grain Average number of serves per day: Goal serves per day*:
(cereal) foods _______ Men: 6
Women: 6

Proportion of wholegrain cereals At least two-thirds

consumed (compared to total should be wholegrain
amount of cereals): _________ and/or high cereal fibre
varieties.
Fruit Average number of serves per day: Goal serves per day*:
_______ Men: 2
Women: 2
Milk, yoghurt, Average number of serves per day: Goal serves per day*:
cheese and/or _______ Men: 2.5
alternatives Women: 2.5

Proportion of reduced fat dairy/dairy Mostly reduced fat.

alternatives consumed (compared
to total amount): _________

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Reviewed: August 2019
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: August 2021
References: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/nutrition
 Lean meat and Average number of serves per day: Goal serves per day*:
poultry, fish, eggs, _______ Men: 3
tofu, nuts/seeds, Women: 2.5
and legumes.
* Serves per day for men and women aged 19-50.
For further information go to www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Table 2. Oils and fats
Saturated fat Consumer’s diet Recommendation Action to improve
examples diet
Fat on meat Amounts used (circle): Limit intake of
Palm oil Moderate/ medium/ large. saturated fats.
Butter, cream
Cooking Fats used: Replace saturated with
margarine unsaturated fats such
as vegetable oils,
spreads, nut butters/
pastes and avocado.

Table 3. Discretionary or “sometimes” foods

Examples Consumer’s diet Recommendation Action to improve
diet
Cakes, ice cream, Limit food high in
sausages, saturated fat, added
processed meats, salt and added sugar.
pies, pizza, chips

Table 4. Drinks
Drinks Consumer’s diet Recommendation Action to improve
My diet
Water Average water intake per
My
Nutrition
Water is best.
day: _____L Nutrition
Needs vary (in general 2-2.5L per
day is a good goal).
Caffeinated Average number of 400mg caffeine per day or less
drinks (e.g. tea, caffeinated drinks per (equivalent to 3 to 4 regular cups of
coffee, energy day: _____ coffee, or 4 to 6 cups of black tea).
drinks)

Drinks with Average amount of Limit intake of drinks with added

added sugar sugary drinks per day: sugar.
(e.g. soft drinks, _____L Prefer water or low kJ drinks.
sports drinks)

Alcohol Drinking habits: For healthy adults: no more than 2

standard drinks on any day. A
standard drink contains 10g of
alcohol.
For women pregnant, planning a
pregnancy or breastfeeding: no
alcohol.

Actions for case manager/key worker Find an Accredited Practising Dietitian on

Do you need more information, or would the Dietitians Association of Australia’s
you like to refer your consumer for more website www.daa.asn.au (click on ‘Find
individualised advice? an APD’).

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Reviewed: August 2019
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: August 2021
References: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/nutrition