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About Health Canada

Nutrition Research Division

The Nutrition Research Division has the responsibility to carry out research integrating the nutritional and metabolic aspects of foods. It also develops and evaluates analytical methods for nutrients and it recommends standards for nutrient intakes and the nutritional adequacy of the food supply. The Division has the responsibility for studying the relationship between diet and disease and has the mandate to carry out food consumption and nutrient intake surveys. The Division conducts research in the area of survey methodology and works with partner organizations to conduct food consumption and nutrient intake surveys. It also maintains and markets the Canadian Standard Nutrient Reference Database, the Canadian Nutrient File.

The Nutrition Research Division is part of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in the Food Directorate. It consists of three sections, the Nutritional Molecular Biology Section, the Nutritional Metabolism Section, and the Nutrition Survey Section. Research centres on physiological and metabolic aspects of foods and food components as well as food composition databases and survey methodology. The activities, except for the Survey Section, are laboratory based. The Survey Section conducts research in the area of survey methodology and works with partner organizations to conduct food consumption and nutrient intake surveys. Previous work includes the Provincial Nutrition Surveys and the Canadian Community Health Survey Nutrition (CCHS.2.2). The primary client of the Division is the Food Program, as the research directly supports the policy and standard setting activities and risk assessment. The Nutrition Research Division works closely with the Nutrition Evaluation Division, providing expertise on issues related to food safety, nutritional quality and health. Other clients include the provinces, other federal government organizations (like the Next link will take you to another Web site Canadian Food Inspection Agency), industry, academia, and health professionals.

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