Health Minister Petitpas Taylor vows to act on initiatives to
support healthy eating
VANCOUVER, Oct. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Heart & Stroke applauds
Health Minister Ginette Petitpas
Taylor for her powerful pledge to continued action on the
Healthy Eating Strategy during her address at Canadian
Cardiovascular Congress.
"We are thrilled to see this strong commitment by Minister
Petitpas Taylor to supporting Canadians to make healthy food
choices," says Yves Savoie, CEO,
Heart & Stroke.
The Healthy Eating Strategy was launched at the Canadian
Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal in October
2016 by then Health Minister Jane
Philpott. Over the past year the government has made
meaningful progress.
Most significantly, last month Health Canada announced banning
industrial trans fats in all food sold in Canada. Heart & Stroke co-chaired the
Trans Fat Task Force which made this recommendation in 2006 to
eliminate these heart-clogging fats from our food supply. This
effort will reduce the number of heart attacks in Canada and save lives.
Public consultations were held for the first time on a proposed
approach to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages
to children and youth. A new round of public consultations on the
Food Guide was launched at the same time.
"We have an unprecedented opportunity in Canada to make meaningful changes to our food
environment," says Yves Savoie. "We
applauded the trans fat ban and we are eager to work with Health
Canada to drive forward the Healthy Eating Strategy including
legislation prohibiting food and beverage marketing to children, an
updated Food Guide, improving access to healthy food in Northern
communities, and developing strong, easy to understand
front-of-package nutrition labelling."
A bill (S-228) on unhealthy food and beverage marketing to
children 16 years and younger is currently in the House of Commons.
This much needed legislation will protect the youngest members of
our society who are bombarded with ads for unhealthy, highly
processed foods and beverages all day, every day. In fact 90%
of products marketed to kids and teens on TV and online are high in
salt, fat or sugar.
Revisions to the Food Guide will improve Canadians' food
choices, including removing juice as an alternative to vegetables
and fruit. Updating this recognized resource will help Canadians
make healthy choices including by limiting processed foods and
avoiding beverages high in sugar.
Stronger front-of-package nutrition labelling requirements for
food and beverages, in particular warning labels for items high in
sugar, saturated fat or salt, would provide quick and easy guidance
and steer consumers away from unhealthy choices.
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don't want you to
miss it. That's why Heart & Stroke leads the fight against
heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical
breakthroughs, so Canadians don't miss out on precious moments.
Together, we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote
recovery through research, health promotion and public policy.
SOURCE Heart and Stroke Foundation