Eating Well with Canada

1
Eating Well with Canadas Food Guide
2
Background

• Over the past three years, Health Canada has
  consulted extensively on the revised Food Guide.
  
• Widespread consultation brought comments from
  approximately 7,000 stakeholders including
  dieticians, scientists, physicians and public
  health experts with an interest in health and
  chronic disease prevention.
• The revised food guide builds on the best
  evidence available and incorporates input from
  many stakeholders.
• Health Canada released the revised Canadas Food
  Guide on February 5th, 2007.

3
Background

• Canadas Food Guide has been used by Canadians
  for 65 years and provides the basis for many
  nutrition policies and programs developed across
  the country and Nova Scotia (including public
  health nutrition programming, Healthy Eating Nova
  Scotia, and the Food and Nutrition Policy for NS
  Public Schools).
• Canadas Food Guide provides recommendations on
  the amount of food for individuals by age and
  gender as well as guidance on the quality of food
  choices.

4
Tools

• Eating Well with Canadas Food Guide (6 pg
  fold-out)
• Resource for Educators and Communicators
• Interactive web component, including My Food
  Guide which allows users to personalize food
  guide information based on their age, gender,
  food preferences, and activity choices.

5
Key Changes from 1992

• Clear guidance is provided on portion sizes and
  the number of recommended servings, based on age
  and gender. This change makes it easier to
  determine the right amounts of food to meet needs
  for healthy growth and development, and reduce
  risk of obesity and chronic diseases.
• The addition of younger children (beginning with
  2 years of age) also addresses a previous gap in
  nutrition guidance.

6
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• Guidance on the kinds and amounts of oils fats
  that will reduce intake of saturated and trans
  fats and increase intake of unsaturated oils
  fats is provided.
• Vegetables, fruit and whole grains are emphasized
  as part of the healthy eating pattern while the
  importance of milk, meat and their alternatives
  is also recognized.
• New positioning of vegetables and fruits on the
  outer-most arc of the rainbow design highlights
  their importance in health promotion and disease
  prevention.

7
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• Guidance is provided on selecting the best
  choices within each food group
• enjoy foods prepared with little or no added fat,
  sugar, or salt
• choose vegetables and fruit more often than juice
  
• make at least half of your grain products whole
  grain everyday
• have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and
  tofu often
• drink lower fat milk, or fortified soy beverages
  if you do not drink milk, each day

8
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• Lower cost food options are included on the food
  guide including a range of frozen, canned, and
  dried foods which is supportive of our food
  security initiatives.
• More examples of ethnic foods are included.
• The new food guide includes a focus on physical
  activity given the strong relationship between
  eating well and being active on feeling good,
  promoting healthy weights, and building strong
  bones.

9
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• The food guide encourages consumers to use the
  Nutrition Facts table on packaged foods to select
  foods high in vitamins, minerals and fibre and
  low in sugar, sodium, and fat.
• The food guide highlights vitamin D as requiring
  special attention, particularly for adults over
  50 years of age. It is now recommended that a
  supplement of 10 µg (400 IU) of vitamin D be
  included daily as a single supplement or a
  component in a multi-supplement.

10
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• A multi-supplement with folic acid is recommended
  for all women who could become pregnant, or who
  are pregnant or breastfeeding and mentions that
  these groups may also be at risk for inadequate
  dietary sources of iron.
• Direction is given on foods and beverages that
  should be limited, specifically those high in
  calories, fat and sugar such as cakes, chocolate,
  doughnuts, cookies, French fries, potato chips,
  alcohol, and sweetened hot or cold drinks.

11
Key Changes from 1992 (continued)

• The food guide is designed to provide guidance on
  prevention of obesity it is not a treatment
  tool. Inclusion of physical activity is a key
  factor in prevention of obesity.
• The calorie content of the recommended number of
  food guide servings per day depends on the food
  chosen. Those who are the least active will have
  to follow the guidance closely and limit foods
  eaten outside of the four food groups.

12
Key Messages

• Eat at least one dark green and one orange
  vegetable each day.
• Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little
  or no added fat, sugar, or salt.
• Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice.
• Make at least half of your grain products whole
  grain each day.
• Choose grain products that are lower in fat,
  sugar, or salt.
• Drink skim, 1, or 2 milk each day and select
  lower fat milk alternatives.

13
Key Messages

• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and
  tofu often.
• Eat at least two food guide servings of fish each
  week.
• Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with
  little or no added fat or salt.
• Include a small amount - 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3
  tbsp) - of unsaturated fat each day.
• Compare the Nutrition Facts table on food labels
  to choose products that contain less fat,
  saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and sodium.

14
Key Messages

• Drink water regularly.
• By following the new food guide, people can
  reduce their risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes,
  heart disease, some types of cancer, and
  osteoporosis.