Can Canadians afford the new Canada’s Food Guide? Assessing Barriers and Challenges

Sylvain Charlebois,Don Fiander,Meghan Smook,Brenda Nyambura Wambui,Simon Somogyi,Isabelle Caron,Megan Racey,Janet Music

doi:10.5539/jfr.v10n6p22

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate Canadian&rsquo;s awareness and use of Canada&rsquo;s Food Guide and to explore barriers to adopting the recommendations. We also conducted a cost analysis to measure the affordability of the 2019 Food Guide compared to the previous version. Although 74% of Canadians were aware of the new Food Guide, it ranked low as a preferred source of information; as well, affordability is a top concern when implementing the recommendations. However, eating based on the 2019 Food Guide is more affordable than the 2007 version at food prices in either year. These results bring into question the influence Food Guides have on population&rsquo;s health behaviour.

Highlights

Governments use food based dietary guidelines (FBDG) to recommend and promote diets that encourage healthy populations and prevent the incidence of non-communicable diseases (Painter, Rah, & Lee, 2002)
74% of Canadians were aware of the new Food Guide, it ranked low as a preferred source of information; as well, affordability is a top concern when implementing the recommendations
Since the first publication of Canada‟s Food Guide (CFG), known as “Canada‟s official Food Rules” in 1942, the Government of Canada has used the document as a policy instrument to help shape Canadians‟ perceptions of food and influence food consumption behaviours (Canada - Food Safety & Supply; Health Canada Canada‟s Food Guides from 1942 to 1992)

Summary

Introduction

Governments use food based dietary guidelines (FBDG) to recommend and promote diets that encourage healthy populations and prevent the incidence of non-communicable diseases (Painter, Rah, & Lee, 2002). The WHO acknowledges the role of these guidelines as instruments that influence “a wide range of food and nutrition, health, agriculture, and nutrition education policies and programs” (Food-based dietary guidelines, 2019). FBDG can serve as strategic policy documents that help governments encourage healthy eating behaviours among their citizens, but are key education documents for teaching youth about healthy eating, and are used to create balanced meals in institutions such as hospitals and long-term care homes. Since the first publication of Canada‟s Food Guide (CFG), known as “Canada‟s official Food Rules” in 1942, the Government of Canada has used the document as a policy instrument to help shape Canadians‟ perceptions of food and influence food consumption behaviours (Canada - Food Safety & Supply; Health Canada Canada‟s Food Guides from 1942 to 1992). The 2007 version of CFG was published in “multiple languages to reflect changing population demographics” and was http://jfr.ccsenet.org

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