The report from the Australian Family Physician Journal is titled, “Food, Health and Nutrition: Where Does Chicken Fit".

The report, by the University of Wollongong’s Smart Foods Centre, aims to broaden the understanding of where chicken fits in the Australian diet, how it is produced in this country and how it contributes to the health of Australians.

Executive director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, Dr Andreas Dubs, says, ”The report provides strong evidence for GPs, other health care professionals and consumers across the board to recommend chicken as part of a healthy diet.

"Australian chicken is recognised as a low fat, lean protein source and an important part of a well balanced diet.

"The fact that it is nutrient rich in vitamins and minerals and contains all nine essential amino acids is not as well recognised by health care professionals or consumers.

"This report aims to redress this."

Research director at CSIRO Human Nutrition, Dr Peter Clifton, says, “The most important thing for consumers to remember is that chicken, without its skin, is an incredibly lean source of protein with only 0.3 grams of saturated fat per 100g serve.

"And CSIRO recommends a high protein diet for people who want to lose weight.

"Chicken certainly plays a great role in this kind of diet”.

Other points made in favour of chicken include:

• One serve of 100g provides more than 50pc of the recommended dietary intake

• No added hormones are used in the production of chicken in Australia

• No cages are used in the chicken meat industry, chickens roam freely on the floor of large barns

• All chicken meat is locally grown and processed in Australia.

SOURCE: Australian Chicken Meat Federation quoting from 'Food, Health and Nutrition: Where Does Chicken Fit?’ in the Australian Family Physician Journal.