February 27, 2012
For immediate release
Factsheet: Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative
OTTAWA -The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced funding for a nation-wide multi-year Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative.
The announcement was made at the Summit on Healthy Weights. The Summit is the culmination of the Our Health, Our Future national dialogue, a process organized by federal, provincial and territorial governments that brought together a diverse group of Canadians to identify ideas and actions to reduce childhood obesity and promote healthy weights in Canada.
"Our government is focused on promoting healthy eating to inform Canadians about what they can do to help decrease their risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and other nutrition-related chronic diseases," said Minister Aglukkaq.
Health Canada launched the Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative in October 2010 with the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign. The Campaign focuses on improving consumers' understanding of how to use the Nutrition Facts table and the % Daily Value to help them make healthier food choices.
The next phase will focus on promoting healthy eating by encouraging consumers to reduce their intake of food and drinks high in calories, fat, sugar and sodium. Healthy eating habits such as eating more fruits and vegetables will be promoted creatively through various outreach partnerships, social media engagement and web tools. Advice will be provided to Canadians on how to follow Canada's Food Guide by choosing the right amount and types of food at home, at the grocery store and when eating out.
"Some of these steps seem like common sense, but these actions are the greatest steps that Canadians can take to stay healthy, and save healthcare costs across the country," said Minister Aglukkaq. "By working with partners in different sectors, I believe we'll be able to drive the message home more effectively than by working alone."
"For example, by collaborating on the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign, we were able to get information about healthy eating and reading labels on more than 300 million packaged food products last year."
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Media Enquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983
Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709
