Government Takes Action on Childhood Obesity
November 22, 2021
Ottawa Journal (June 21 - June 25, 2021)David Tilson, M.P. (Dufferin-Caledon)
We all know the unfortunate reality that childhood obesity is on the rise in Canada. It is a problem our Government recognizes and is tackling through new initiatives and support for research. We are committed to ensuring that all Canadians, especially, our children, are healthy and engaged in physical activity.
Over the last 25 years, there has been an alarming increase in the proportion of overweight and obese children. Obesity rates among children and youth have nearly tripled during this period. The Childhood Obesity Foundation estimates that approximately 26 per cent of Canadian children, aged two to seventeen years, are currently overweight or obese.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), obesity significantly increases the risk of developing other serious disease including: type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. It also impacts physical and mental health. Therefore, obesity becomes not only a social concern, but also an economic concern, as the costs for health care to treat the related illnesses are substantial for governments. Direct and indirect costs associated with obesity have been estimated at $4.3 billion in 2001 by the PHAC.
Our Government has already taken action to reduce the rates of childhood obesity and its associated problems through initiatives such as the Child Fitness Tax Credit and the Eat Well and Be Active Toolkit. The Toolkit is a joint project between Health Canada and the PHAC and is designed to help health and education specialists to teach children and adults about healthy eating and physical activity, as well as to encourage them to take action to maintain and improve their health.
Another initiative our Government has undertaken to help ensure Canadian children live healthy lifestyles is with the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign. This multi-media campaign gives Canadians the information they need to make informed food choices, to maintain and improve their health. It helps consumers understand and use the information on the Nutrition Facts table, and in particular, the percentage Daily Value. By using the percentage Daily Value, consumers can quickly be informed on whether a packaged food contains little or a lot of a nutrient. This assists Canadians in making healthy food choices for not only themselves, but for their children.
More recently, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Josee Verner, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, announced new initiatives for research on physical activity and childhood obesity through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This research will help more children become physically active and will help the Government in its efforts to reduce childhood obesity in Canada. Furthermore, it will assist the Government in developing responsive policies and programs to advance healthy lifestyles.
Our Government will remain committed to taking action on childhood obesity. These latest research initiatives will build on our previous efforts and will also help to identify additional ways to responsively combat childhood obesity and ensure our children are healthy and physically active.