Factsheet: Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative

February 2012

News Release: Harper Government Announces Funding for Healthy Eating Initiative

The Government of Canada will provide $4 million for new activities as part of a nation-wide multi-year Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative.

The Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative is designed to promote healthy eating by informing Canadians about how they can improve their overall health and decrease their risk of obesity, hypertension and other nutrition-related chronic diseases through a healthy diet.

All activities aim to improve Canadians’ awareness and understanding of healthy eating to motivate them to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families by following Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and understanding nutrition labelling information.

The Initiative was launched 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.

Going forward, Government of Canada funding for the Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative will continue to 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.

Advice will also 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.

The government will work together with various partners on social marketing activities. This work will build on the successful collaboration this year with the Dietitians of Canada, EatRight Ontario, the British Columbia Ministry of Health, and provincial and territorial partners to develop and disseminate sodium-reduction messages.

Stakeholders across the country will use the healthy eating messages developed under the Initiative to ensure that Canadians receive credible and consistent information, no matter where they live.

Upcoming plans also include promoting healthy weights.

For more information on healthy eating, visit our Healthy Canadians website.