Provincial Nutrition Surveys

There is an old and wise saying, you are what you eat. This holds true especially for children and adolescents who need good nutrition to grow to their full potential, and for adults to reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases. To determine the dietary intakes of Canadians, the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences carries out nutrition surveys in collaboration with the provinces.

This surveillance activity involves formal partnerships with provincial health departments and various universities.

Context

The last national dietary survey from which the food and nutrient intakes of Canadians were collected was Nutrition Canada in 1970-1972. Considering the changes in food habits of Canadians since then, up-to-date information is needed for risk assessment activities and health promotion programs within the department, and to ensure a safe and adequate food supply. Therefore, the nutrition provincial surveys are collecting current information about the food intakes of Canadians which can be used to carry out health risk assessment, to review existing nutrition programs and policies such as food fortification and nutrition labelling, and to set new policies in nutrition education and intervention programs such as Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.

The provincial nutrition surveys are being conducted on adults aged 18-74 years. The Bureau of Nutritional Sciences provides expertise in the planning and implementation stages of the surveys. We coordinate some activities of each survey to ensure uniformity between provinces in field data collection. We are responsible for the data entry of survey questionnaires and provide assistance in the training of field personnel in order to maintain standardization of the protocol. By the end of 1999, the adult population of all provinces will have been surveyed.

The Bureau of Nutritional Sciences is interested in collecting up-to-date data on the food habits of Canadian youth in addition to adults. To achieve this goal, we are working to design questionnaires and instruments that are appropriate for youth so that they can accurately tell us what they eat. We are also currently working in collaboration with Santé Québec to collect information on the dietary intakes of Québec youth. This information will be used to review existing nutrition programs and policies and to develop new programs aimed at youth.

Another important part of the surveillance activity of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences is the maintenance of the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF), a computerized database of the nutrient values of over 4000 foods. The CNF is required to support the nutrition survey work, but is also essential for activities such as risk assessments. The CNF is widely used by various government departments, nutrition researchers, and the food industry.

Provincial Nutrition Survey Reports and Contacts

Help on accessing alternative formats, such as Portable Document Format (PDF), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint (PPT) files, can be obtained in the alternate format help section.

To date New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Québec (Adult and Youth surveys), Saskatchewan, Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador have published reports on dietary intake patterns in their provinces. For more information on a specific survey, please communicate directly with the individual identified below.

Newfoundland & Labrador (1996)
Barbara Roebothan
Telephone: (709) 777-8387
Fax: (709) 777-7382
Email: broeboth@mun.ca
Nutrition Newfoundland and Labrador (PDF Version - 501 K)

Nova Scotia (1990)
Michelle Amero
Telephone: (902) 424-3749
Fax: (902) 424-3135
Email: michelle.amero@gov.ns.ca

New Brunswick (Fall 1996 - Spring 1997)
Suzanne Clair
Telephone: (506) 453-6369
Fax: (506) 453-8702
Email: suzanne.clair@gnb.ca
New Brunswick Nutrition Survey - Highlights of the Report (PDF Version - 168.9 K)
New Brunswick Nutrition Survey Report 2005 (PDF Version - 457 K)

Prince Edward Island (1995)
Deborah MacLellan
Telephone: (902) 566-0620
Fax: (902) 628-4367
Email: familyandnutrition@upei.ca

Québec (1990); Québec Youth (Spring 1999)
Lise Bertrand
Telephone: (514) 528-2400 Ext. 3469
Email: lbertran@santepub-mtl.qc.ca

Ontario (Fall 1997 - Spring 1998)
Rena Mendelson
Telephone: (416) 979-5000 Ext. 7522
Email: mendelso@ryerson.ca
Report of the Ontario Food Survey

Manitoba (Fall 1998 - Spring 1999)
Paul Fieldhouse
Telephone: (204) 786-7350
Email: Paul.Fieldhouse@gov.mb.ca

Saskatchewan (Spring 1993 - Winter 1994)
Bruce Reeder
Telephone: (306) 966-7934
Email: bruce.reeder@usask.ca

Alberta (1994)
Patricia Martz
Telephone: (780) 415-2753
Fax: (780) 427-7683
Email: patricia.martz@gov.ab.ca

British Columbia (1999)
Lisa Forster-Coull
Telephone: (250) 952-1124
Fax: (250) 952-1570
Email: lisa.forstercoull@gems8.gov.bc.ca
BC Nutrition Survey