More effective action is urgently required in order to reduce the unacceptable health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Food insecurity and nutrition-related chronic conditions are responsible for a large proportion of the ill-health experienced by Australia’s First Peoples who, before colonisation, enjoyed physical, social and cultural wellbeing for tens of thousands of years. Food and nutrition programs, therefore, play an important role in the holistic approach to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan takes a “whole-of-life” approach to improving health outcomes. Priority areas include maternal health and parenting; childhood health and development; adolescent and youth health; healthy adults and healthy ageing. This Policy Issues Brief provides a synthesis of the evidence for food and nutrition programs at each of these life stages. It answers questions such as, what kind of food and nutrition programs are most effective for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples? And, how should these food and nutrition programs be developed and implemented?