Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion

The Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion is the focal point for public health nutrition within the federal government and leads federal efforts to support healthy eating.

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What we do

The Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion promotes and supports the nutritional health and well-being of Canadians by:

  • providing public health nutrition leadership
  • anticipating and responding to public health nutrition issues
  • developing, promoting and implementing evidence-based policies, initiatives and standards
  • providing timely and authoritative nutrition information to support and influence decisions
  • generating and disseminating nutrition knowledge

The office has four key functions:

Policy leadership and collaboration

The Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion leads or contributes to initiatives to create supportive food environments and promote healthy eating in Canada.

We work with multiple sectors, other jurisdictions, and international colleagues to include nutrition considerations into health, agricultural, educational, social, and economic policies and programs. Our office works closely with other health portfolio colleagues and Federal/Provincial/Territorial groups to influence public health nutrition agendas domestically and internationally.

We work to ensure policy actions are based on the best available evidence. To do this we assess nutrition-related issues and trends, monitor emerging nutrition knowledge, and consider government priorities, mandates and stakeholder positions to develop policies that advance public health nutrition. Our office also reviews evidence, engages key stakeholders and seeks advice from experts and then proposes actions and initiatives that address the important nutrition-related needs of Canadians.

Dietary guidance

The Office of Nutrition Policy Promotion develops and promotes dietary guidance, including guidelines and standards that are:

  • evidence-based
  • useful
  • relevant for Canadians

Health Canada's dietary guidance forms the basis of policies and programs across the country to promote healthy eating. It provides a standard for the assessment of dietary intakes.

The development and review processes consider the available evidence and scientific advice and the needs of end users. We also consult with internal and external experts and stakeholders.

Promotion and knowledge translation

The Office of Nutrition Policy Promotion works to increase awareness, understanding, and use of Health Canada's dietary guidance and nutrition information for various audiences, including:

  • policy makers
  • health professionals
  • the general public

We promote and develop tools and resources and work to make sure that they are communicated using the correct vehicle to reach the intended audience. To develop coherent and consistent public health nutrition messages and to maximize our reach we collaborate with:

  • other levels of government
  • non-governmental organizations
  • health professional organizations
  • health charities

Surveillance, research, data analysis and knowledge development

The Office of Nutrition Policy Promotion takes a leadership role in nutrition knowledge development with health portfolio partners and other stakeholders.

Through ongoing collaboration with the US government and other international agencies we support the advancement and development of Dietary Reference Intakes, the scientific basis of national dietary guidance.

Our office works with its partners to identify and fill research gaps. We gather, assess, and interpret evidence and influence research agendas. We also contribute to the development of Canadian health surveys, analyze data and interpret survey results, monitor public health nutrition indicators, and contribute to the improvement of national nutrition data collection tools.

Evaluation and performance measurement also help us inform decision-making and improve the work that we do.

For more information

Contact us

Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (LCDC) Building # 6
Address Locator: 0603C
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0L2

Telephone: 1-866-225-0709

E-mail: nutrition@hc-sc.gc.ca

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