Indicators to measure progress on healthy eating policy

January 1, 2019

Adoption of evidence-based indicators supports monitoring and evaluation of progress on healthy eating policy

Inside this healthy eating policy pack

• Background evidence: healthy eating and cancer
• Evidence-informed policy actions to increase healthy eating
• Key statistics: healthy eating in Canada
• Public and policymakers’ perceptions of healthy eating in Canada
• Economic evidence to support healthy eating policy
• Indicators to measure progress on healthy eating policy

How will we know we are making progress on healthy eating policy?

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) developed cancer prevention recommendations and targets related to healthy eating. The population-level goals for public health include:¹

Limit consumption of “fast foods” and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars

• average energy density of diets to be lowered towards 125 kcal per 100 g

Limit consumption of sugar sweetened drinks

• population average consumption of sugary drinks to be halved every 10 years

Eat a diet rich in wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans

• population average consumption of non-starchy vegetables and of fruits to be at least 60 0 g (21 oz) daily
• relatively unprocessed cereals (grains) and/or pulses (legumes), and other foods that are a natural source of dietary fibre, to contribute to a population average of at least 25g non-starch polysaccharide daily

Limit consumption of red and processed meat

• population average consumption of red meat to be no more than 300 g (11 oz) a week, very little if any of which to be processed

References

¹ World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: a Global Perspective. Continuous Update Project Expert Report 2018. Available at dietandcancerreport.org