Knowledge of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and

Serving Size Awareness

Understanding Healthy Lifestyles: Measuring & Monitoring Behavioural

Risk Factors

September 25-27, 2005

Dar Malaviarachchi, MSc

Cynthia Colapinto, MSc, RD

Knowledge of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and

Serving Size Awareness

Acknowledgements:

Statistics Canada

Kristen Godin

Introduction Obesity is an issue affecting many

Canadians

Poor diet and physical inactivity are factors

39% of Sudbury residents are overweight compared to 33% of Ontario residents

Objectives To determine residents’ perceptions of

recommended serving sizes

To determine Sudbury residents’ fast food eating habits

To determine Sudbury residents’ awareness/knowledge of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating (CFGHE)

Background & Design

Statistics Canada Survey “Food Portion Awareness” questionnaire

developed

“Portion size” vs. “Serving size”

Carried out as part of a Statistics Canada training program Survey Skills Development Course (SSDC-90)

Background & Design Target population

Private households in the urban core

Individuals 18 or older residing in household year round

Sudbury residents of low, middle, and high income households

Background & Design Sample Design

Stratified, multistage probability sample of 600 private dwellings, selected from 45,000

Sample Size

409 interviews were granted

Results Self-perceived health status

Awareness/Knowledge of CFGHE

Knowledge of serving size

Fast food eating habits

Availability of fitness equipment and fitness facility membership

Residents Self-Perceived

Health StatusSelf-Perceived Health

Status by Income

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

<$40,000

$40,000-$60,000

>$60,000

(n=409)

Poor Fair GoodVery good Excellent

Residents with higher self-perceived health status include:

Women

Highly educated

Higher income 6 21 35 27 11

19 31 33 14

7 27 45 19

Awareness/Knowledge of CFGHE

82% of Sudbury residents are aware of CFGHE

Women and those with higher incomes are more aware of CFGHE than men and those with lower incomes

Almost 50% of residents correctly identified the number of food groups

61% of women and 41% of menidentified the correct number ofdaily servings of fruits/vegetables

Awareness/Knowledge of CFGHE by Level of

Education

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

aware of CFGHE unaware of CFGHE knows # food groups knows daily fruits/vegservings

Less than high school Completed highschoolSome post-secondary Completed post-secondary

40

23

9 8

60

77

91 92

32 39

54 56

43 48 46

62

Awareness of Serving Size

Using visual aids, residents were asked to identify the correct serving sizes of 9 foods

Only 50% of residents correctly identified at least 5 of the 9 serving sizes

Men and youth often overestimated serving sizes

Correct Serving Sizes

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Nu

ts

Coo

ked

Mea

t

Lea

fyV

eget

able

s

Fru

it

Ch

eese

Veg

etab

les

Cer

eal

Bre

ad

Coo

ked

Pas

ta

List of Foods

Per

cent

age

(n=

409)

Male Female

81 83

61 68

50 58

46

58 51

41 45 51

42 46

30

48

23

40

Fast Food Eating Habits

Frequency of Eating Fast Food in a Typical Week by Age Category

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

18-24

25-39

40-54

55 or older

Age

Cat

egor

y

Percentage (n=409)

at least once per week

Consumed fast food at least once per week

37% of residents

40% of residents with lower income

45% of men compared to 29% of women

20

37

47

55

Ordering “Combo” Meals

Frequency of buying "combo" meals

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Never Sometimes Most of thetime

Frequency

Per

cent

age

Male Female

Of those who consumed fast food at least once per week

70% of men and 70% of youth ordered “combo” meals most of the time

9

26 21

34

70

39

Fitness Equipment or Facility Memberships

40% of households do not have exercise equipment

36% of households have at least one resident with a fitness facility membership

Households with Exercise Equipment or Fitness Facility

Memeberships

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Households withexercise equipment

Households withfitness membership

Per

cent

age

<$40,000 $40,000-$60,000 >$60,000

50

64 73

27 34

47

Summary Residents with higher income, higher

education and women had higher self-rated health

Women and residents with a higher education tend to be more aware and knowledgeable of CFGHE

Men and youth often overestimated serving sizes

Individuals of younger age groups are more likely to eat fast food at least once per week

Objectives of the Sudbury & District Health Unit’s Nutrition Physical Activity Action Team

(NPAAT)

To increase the number of people who adhere to CFGHE

To increase the number of people who are physically active

Balanced Approach Philosophy

Promotes balance among the many aspects that influence health, including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual factors

Balanced approach initiatives: Healthy Measures for Adults Go Girls!

Working With the Community

Education campaigns Community events Mass media campaigns Telephone advice Advocacy initiatives Policy development Environmental supports Community partnerships

Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiatives

Nutrition Expedition

Food Security

Eat Smart!

Student Meal Programs

Nutrition Month Activities (March)

Walk this Way Summer Active Obesity Steering

Committee and Working Group

Community Partnerships

Healthy People for a Healthy Tomorrow! forum held in June 2004

Goal: community input in order to develop a framework for community action on obesity prevention

Obesity steering committee and working group formed

Obesity Steering Committee and Working

Group Committed to reducing the incidence

and impact of obesity through working collaboratively with diverse communities and populations in the Sudbury district and Manitoulin district areas

Coordinate and set in motion the action plan

Obesity Steering Committee and Working

Group Developing communication tools and

strategies to educate and keep key stakeholders informed of current trends and research on the prevention of obesity

Enhancing community mobilization in the practice of healthy eating, physical activity, and positive self esteem

Assisting community stakeholders with the implementation of strategies identified in the Action Plan

Action Plan Stemmed from the action priority

recommendations put forward by the discussion groups at the forum

Contains 10 action priorities

Proposed activities are listed under each action priority

Key stakeholders will be identified for each activity, or group of activities

Long-term and short-term timelines will be mapped out

Contact Information:Dar Malaviarachchi, EpidemiologistPhone: (705) 522-9200, Ext.256Email: malaviarachchid@sdhu.com

Cynthia Colapinto, Public Health NutritionistPhone: (705) 522-9200, Ext.403Email: colapintoc@sdhu.com

Sudbury & District Health Unit1300 Paris Street, Sudbury, ON, P3E 3A3