The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) said they welcome the changes announced in Health Canada’s unveiling of the updated Canada Food Guide.
The new Canada Food Guide recommends that half your plate should be fresh fruits and vegetables. As stated in the 2016 Kruger Report, 80 percent of Canadians do not consume enough fruits and vegetables as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide, resulting in an economic burden calculated at $4.4 billion. CPMA and CPHA are hopeful that the recommended consumption target in the Food Guide will further alert Canadians to their current deficit in fruit and vegetable consumption.
“Today’s announcement of the new Food Guide recognizes that fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet,” said CPMA President Ron Lemaire. “CPMA has long been advocating for increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by Canadians and our Half Your Plate campaign has been resonating with consumers from coast to coast to coast. We would like to thank Minister Petitpas Taylor and the Government for their hard work on this important file and in ensuring that the new Food Guide is grounded in sound science. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Minister Petitpas Taylor and Health Canada to improve the health of Canadians.”
“The Canadian Public Health Association supports the new national dietary guidelines that emphasize plant-based sources of protein, which was a recommendation from the 2017 Canada-specific Lancet Countdown Report. Increased consumption of plant-based protein sources will not only improve human health, but will also benefit planetary health,” said Ian Culbert, CPHA’s Executive Director. “Considerable evidence demonstrates that diets rich in plant-based proteins reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity as well as breast, colon and prostate cancer. The benefits of these diets extend to our natural environment by reducing the carbon footprint, water consumption and pollution, and greenhouse gas production associated with animal agriculture.”
As the only G7 country without a national fruit and vegetable health/nutrition policy, CPMA and CPHA said they strongly support the development of the new Food Policy for Canada. Both associations believe that a whole-of-government approach, including a multi-stakeholder governance model with membership across the food system, will result in a successful and sustainable structure. Additionally, both organizations encourage the Government to ensure alignment between the new Food Guide and the Food Policy for Canada.
CPMA and CPHA declared they will continue to support the efforts of the Government of Canada to promote a healthy lifestyle by following the new Canada Food Guide and its available resources.
