The government of Canada is getting serious about encouraging Canadians to live healthier lifestyles. They’ve announced working from the root of the problem, by revising the Food Guide and implementing Healthy Eating Initiatives.
Jane Philpott, Miniter of Health Canada’s plans to start a process that reflects evidence on diet and health. In addition to the Food Guide revision, Health Canada at the same time has announced that they will launch a consultation with Canadians. The consultation is an open questionnaire presented the general public available till December 8th on the Health Canada website. The information provided through the questionnaire will allow the updated Food Guide to better reflect Canadians. It will also support more effective communication on nutrition to Canadians.
Here are some quick facts Health Canada has provided to keep in mind when dealing with patients while encouraging them to live healthier lifestyles.
Quick facts
– In Canada, four out of five Canadians risk developing conditions such as cancer, heart disease or Type 2 diabetes; six out of ten adults are overweight and one-third of youth are overweight or obese.
– Poor diet is the primary risk factor for obesity and many chronic diseases, and places a significant burden on the health of Canadians and our health care system.
– The annual economic burden of obesity in Canada is estimated in the billions of dollars.
Living a healthier lifestyle becomes easier with knowledge and the growth of every day habits, give confidence to your patients that it doesn’t have to be difficult.
