Canada Food Guide Consultation On-Line Surveys - Executive Summary

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Background

Health Canada is in the process of revising Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating (CFGHE). Prior to finalizing this revised Food Guide, Health Canada commissioned an online survey to obtain feedback from stakeholders and the public on the proposed content for the revised CFGHE. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to provide the public and key stakeholders with an opportunity to review draft content for the revised Food Guide and provide feedback on the proposed revisions.

Methodology

The methodology for this study involved an on-line survey with stakeholders (e.g., health professional groups, NGOs, industry) and the public at large. Two versions of the questionnaire were developed: a longer version aimed primarily at stakeholders, and a shorter version aimed primarily at the general public, although both questionnaires were accessible to either of these respondent groups. In addition to e-mail invitations to stakeholders and the public, the questionnaires (both short and long versions) were made available through the Health Canada website.

A key profiling question for this survey was organization type. The table below provides a summary of responses across the various organizations which participated in the survey. As can be seen, the vast majority of respondents to these surveys were from health professional associations, government, academia, or industry.

Distribution of Responses Across Organization Type

“Which of the following most closely represents the type of organization you work for?”

	Overall n=5820	Web Long n=2663	Web Short n=3020
Health Professionals Association	29%	30%	27%
Government	19%	17%	21%
University/Academia	15%	14%	15%
Industry/Trade group	13%	16%	11%
Consumer Group	3%	3%	2%
Other	11%	11%	12%
None of the above	11%	11%	11%

The surveys were conducted between November 24, 2005 and March 24, 2006. However, the consultation was halted from November 29 to February 15 due to the federal election, and the new government transition.

Results

The issues examined through these surveys covered a wide range of areas, from preferred cover design and presentation of food intake patterns for the Food Guide, to food group names and foods to be pictured in the Guide. Results reveal general consensus across some areas, while opinions are more divided for other issues. These (and other) findings are summarized below.

Cover Design

Respondents were first asked their views on three proposed cover designs for the Food Guide. Results reveal that Cover #1 was clearly the preferred design (selected by 56 per cent of respondents). Only one in four (25 per cent) preferred Cover #3, and one in five (19 per cent) selected the Cover #2 design. These cover designs are displayed in Figure 1 on the following page.

Respondents were also asked which title they preferred for the Guide. Results for this question were more mixed. Overall, a slight plurality of respondents (37 per cent) chose the title “Canada’s Food Guide: Your Guide to Healthy Eating”, however, a large proportion of respondents (34 per cent) also liked the title “Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating”. Almost one in four (23 per cent) felt that “Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide” was the best title for the Food Guide.

When asked whether they felt expanding the Food Guide to eight pages (from the current single two-sided sheet) was a good idea, a slight majority of respondents (53 per cent) agree this change is a good idea, however, almost four in ten (37 per cent) are opposed to it.

Presentation of Food Intake Patterns

Respondents were also asked which of three possible presentations of food intake patterns they preferred. Survey results indicate that Format #3 was the clear winner: more than half of respondents (57 per cent) selected this format. Format #1 was a distant second choice (selected by 29 per cent of respondents), and just over one in ten (13 per cent) preferred Format #2. These food intake patterns are displayed in Figure 2.

When asked which title they preferred for presenting the daily food intake patterns, “Recommended Daily Food Choices” was the clear favourite with almost six in ten respondents selecting this title (58 per cent). Only about one in seven selected “Your Daily Food Choices” (15 per cent) or “Daily Food Choices” (14 per cent).

FIGURE 1: COVER DESIGN

Cover #1: 56%

Cover #3: 25%

Cover #2: 19%

FIGURE 2: FOOD INTAKE PATTERNS

Format #3: 57%

Format #1: 29%

Format #2: 13%

 

Food Group Names and Pictures

Those who answered the longer version of the questionnaire were asked for their views on the food groups included in the Food Guide (i.e., vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk products, and meats and alternatives). Findings reveal general agreement with the proposed names of the food groups in the Guide, however, results are more mixed in terms of satisfaction with the proposed range of foods to be pictured for each of these food groups.

When asked if they agreed with using the name “Vegetables and Fruit” to describe the food group which includes all vegetables and fruit (fresh, frozen, canned) and their juices, 90 per cent of respondents agreed with using this name, and fewer than one in ten (nine per cent) disagreed. However, views are more mixed in terms of the proposed range of foods to be pictured as part of this food group. Two-thirds (65 per cent) indicated they are satisfied with the range of vegetables and fruits to be pictured on the Food Guide, while one in three (33 per cent) are not satisfied with the vegetables and fruits suggested.

 Respondents were asked a similar set of questions for the other food groups in the Guide. Fully nine in ten (91 per cent) agreed with using the name “Grain Products” to describe the food group which includes grains, cereals, pasta, rice, and products made with grain flour (including corn flour). Far fewer (although still a majority – 63 per cent) are satisfied with the proposed grain products to be pictured in the Food Guide.

When asked if they agreed with using the name “Milk Products” to describe the food group which includes fluid milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified plant based beverages, seven in ten (71 per cent) expressed agreement with using this name. Just over half (55 per cent) of respondents say they are satisfied with the proposed milk products to be pictured on the Guide, and over four in ten (43 per cent) are not.

Finally, respondents were asked about meats and alternatives (defined as meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds). Survey results reveal that the vast majority of respondents (84 per cent) agree with using the name “Meat and Alternatives” for this food group. Similar to findings for the other food groups, far fewer are satisfied with the range of meat and alternatives to be pictured on the Food Guide (60 per cent), and almost four in ten (37 per cent) are dissatisfied.

Energy Balance

Energy balance was a key consideration in the revision of the Food Guide. Consequently, respondents to the long questionnaire were asked for their views on addressing energy balance through the inclusion of specific text dealing with healthy weight, amount of food consumed, food intake patterns, and physical activity. Results reveal fairly high levels of support for all the proposed text addressing energy balance.

More than seven in ten (72 per cent) agree that the concept of energy balance is enhanced by including text addressing how to maintain a healthy weight, and fewer than one in four (23 per cent) disagree. The majority of respondents (63 per cent) also agree that the concept of energy balance is enhanced with text addressing whether too much or too little food is eaten. Seven in ten (69 per cent) also feel that the concept of energy balance is enhanced by including food intake patterns by age and sex groups. Respondents are particularly likely to endorse the idea of greater emphasis on physical activity in the Food Guide: more than nine in ten (92 per cent) agree that the concept of energy balance is enhanced by highlighting the importance of being physically active, and only five per cent disagree with this idea.

Communicating Fat Content

Respondents to the long survey were also asked for their views on the best way to communicate information about oils and fat to Canadians. Results reveal that respondents clearly prefer including information about oils and fat with specific amounts (selected by 74 per cent of respondents), rather than information that does not specify an amount (selected by 23 per cent).

What Counts as a Choice

The survey also included questions examining views on serving sizes. Survey results reveal that most respondents agree with the idea of removing the term “serving” from the Guide. Sixty-two per cent of respondents agreed that not using the term “serving” will help Canadians understand the difference between the amounts they eat and those shown in the Food Guide, and only 25 per cent disagreed (13 per cent were unsure).

           

Respondents were then asked if the human hand was useful in helping to better understand amounts of food. Results reveal that a solid majority of respondents (72 per cent) felt the human hand would be useful to better understand amounts of food, while 21 per cent disagreed with this idea (and seven per cent were unsure).

           

Additional Comments

At the end of the questionnaire, all respondents were asked for final comments about the proposed revisions to the Food Guide. The most popular responses on the long survey revolved around the ideas of including more information about other foods (e.g., candy, soft drinks) which are bad for one’s health (mentioned by 11 percent), and a desire for the Guide to provide more visual information/less text-oriented information for ease of use (mentioned by eight percent). Many respondents to the short questionnaire felt that the Food Guide was too long (five percent), and that information for specific sub-groups of the population should be included (five percent).

Next Steps

Results of this online consultation will be considered by Health Canada along with results of other consultations and research to further revise the Food Guide.