Canadians not eating enough fruits and vegetables
Canadians not eating enough fruits and vegetables
While 87 percent of Canadians are aware that eating vegetables and fruit can help prevent certain diseases, only 25 percent are eating the recommended five to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit each day, according to a recent survey conducted as part of the 5 to 10 a day healthy eating campaign.
"These results support our understanding that adopting healthy eating behavior is a very complex issue," said Carol Dombrow, registered dietitian with the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.
"We're concerned about these results because research has shown that eating a variety of vegetables and fruit as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Canadians know this too, but somehow it's not getting translated into action," said Ms. Dombrow.
To encourage Canadians to eat more vegetables and fruit, a new multimedia campaign is being launched across Canada by the 5 to 10 a day initiative.
The campaign includes television, radio and print public service announcements, and educational materials, such as posters and brochures, for dietitians, schools and communities. Information is also available on the web site: www.5to10aday.com.
The campaign focuses on serving size -- "if it fits in your hand, it's probably a serving size" -- and the colors of vegetables and fruit.
"We want to show Canadians how easy it can be to eat five to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit a day," said Ms. Dombrow. "We know that eating a serving from each color group is a good way to add variety to our diet. Each color group tends to correspond to different combinations of nutrients. So the more colors we choose, the more health benefits we get."
The 5 to 10 a day campaign is a joint initiative by the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. The campaign encourages Canadians to lead a healthy lifestyle, including eating five to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit each day as part of a healthy diet.
"By focusing on a few simple messages and working with national partners like the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society, we can help Canadians translate their awareness of the importance of eating vegetables and fruit into healthier choices," said Ron Lemaire, executive vice president and director of marketing for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.
"These results support our understanding that adopting healthy eating behavior is a very complex issue," said Carol Dombrow, registered dietitian with the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.
"We're concerned about these results because research has shown that eating a variety of vegetables and fruit as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Canadians know this too, but somehow it's not getting translated into action," said Ms. Dombrow.
To encourage Canadians to eat more vegetables and fruit, a new multimedia campaign is being launched across Canada by the 5 to 10 a day initiative.
The campaign includes television, radio and print public service announcements, and educational materials, such as posters and brochures, for dietitians, schools and communities. Information is also available on the web site: www.5to10aday.com.
The campaign focuses on serving size -- "if it fits in your hand, it's probably a serving size" -- and the colors of vegetables and fruit.
"We want to show Canadians how easy it can be to eat five to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit a day," said Ms. Dombrow. "We know that eating a serving from each color group is a good way to add variety to our diet. Each color group tends to correspond to different combinations of nutrients. So the more colors we choose, the more health benefits we get."
The 5 to 10 a day campaign is a joint initiative by the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. The campaign encourages Canadians to lead a healthy lifestyle, including eating five to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit each day as part of a healthy diet.
"By focusing on a few simple messages and working with national partners like the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society, we can help Canadians translate their awareness of the importance of eating vegetables and fruit into healthier choices," said Ron Lemaire, executive vice president and director of marketing for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.
