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 Status  Residents with higher self- perceived health status include:  Women  Highly educated  Higher income

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 men identified the correct number of daily servings of fruits/vegetables

Awareness/Knowledge of CFGHE by Level of Education

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

Fast Food Eating Habits  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

Ordering “Combo” Meals  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

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

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, Epidemiologist Phone: (705) , Ext Cynthia Colapinto, Public Health Nutritionist Phone: (705) , Ext Sudbury & District Health Unit 1300 Paris Street, Sudbury, ON, P3E 3A3