March 3, 2004
Dietitians Canada

Dietitians of Canada Releases New Report on the Healthy Eating Challenges Facing Children and Youth for Nutrition Month 2004

Toronto, Ontario - The rising incidence in obesity among children and youth has been largely attributed to poor eating habits and inactivity. Concerned parents and educators identify a lack of time for food preparation and a lack of access to nutritious foods at school as a few of the problems that put children at nutritional risk.

With the slogan, "Eat Well, Play Well" the Dietitians of Canada are focusing on healthy eating for school-aged children and youth for their March 2004 Nutrition Month Campaign.

Schools, parents and friends play a key role in influencing healthy living habits of children. To learn more about the perceived problems and potential solutions, the Dietitians of Canada invited input from parents, teachers and other caregivers through an online survey on their website. Responses from over 1300 English and French-speaking Canadians are summarized in a new report entitled, "Dietitians of Canada and Dairy Farmers of Canada 2004 Report on Healthy Eating for School Age Children and Youth" which has been released on the Dietitians of Canada website (www.dietitians.ca/eatwell).

When asked to identify the biggest challenge for school age children to eat well at home and school, survey respondents replied that key issues were a lack of time to prepare healthy meals and school lunches, and the ready availability of soft drinks, potato chips, and candy, both in vending machines and canteens in schools and in the lunches children brought from home.

"There is no one single cause of childhood obesity and poor eating habits and therefore no easy solutions to the complex issue," explains Helen Haresign, Vice President Development, Dietitians of Canada. "The best approach is prevention through healthy eating and active living habits learned at a young age that stand the test of time. Equally important is the need for many groups, including parents, educators, health professionals, government, the food industry and others, to work together and implement a variety of approaches that will have a positive effect on the eating habits and lifestyles of children and youth," Haresign continues.

The Dietitians of Canada Nutrition Month website (www.dietitians.ca/eatwell) is a place where people are sharing their success stories in the "Stories and Strategies Inventory". Visit the inventory to learn about new approaches taken across Canada such as changes to curriculum, school food service policy, advocating for minimum hours of physical activity and classroom education that are already making a difference to the health of Canadian children. For example, a new spaced-themed program developed by Canadian dietitians and teachers called Mission Nutrition* (www.missionnutrition.ca) is a fun and easy way to teach children about healthy eating, physical activity and positive self-esteem. Mission Nutrition* is a joint initiative of Dietitians of Canada and Kellogg Canada Inc.

For more ideas to promote healthy living with children and youth or to find out about local Nutrition Month events, visit the Nutrition Month web site at (www.dietitians.ca/eatwell) starting March 1st and use the searchable resource inventory to find materials and quizzes on healthy eating for children at home and school. To locate a dietitian in your area go to the Dietitians of Canada home page at: www.dietitians.ca.

Dietitians of Canada is the national voice for 5,000 dietitians across Canada. Dietitians of Canada's March 2004 Nutrition Month Campaign is made possible by the sponsorship of Dairy Farmers of Canada (www.purelydairy.org), Eurest-Chartwells-Morrison of Compass Group Canada (www.compass-canada.com), Mission Nutrition* (www.missionnutrition.ca) and media partner, Chatelaine (www.chatelaine.com).

*© 2003, Trademark of Kellogg Company used under license by Kellogg Canada Inc.