Canadian consumers misled by confusing food labels
Issues go beyond nutrition facts table
A recent survey has found that an increasing majority of Canadians want to see better labels on foods that go far beyond improvements to the nutrition facts table.
The survey was conducted by Hypertension Canada and measured public support for a variety of diet-related issues that are responsible for 80% of all hypertension cases.
More than four out of five Canadians support health warnings on unhealthy foods, legislated sodium reduction and subsidies on fresh fruits and vegetables. Still, the federal government lacks a food and nutrition strategy in spite of repeated calls for one by the public and Canada's leading health and scientific organizations, including the College of Family Physicians.
'The chronic disease crisis is unsustainable and largely preventable,' says Dr Norman Campbell, who has launched a campaign to get the government to make nutrition a priority. With a life's work devoted to chronic disease prevention, and backed by Canada's health and scientific heavyweights, Dr Campbell hopes to get Canadians on board with his call to action.
'The food and beverage industry is big, but the cost of doing nothing is bigger,' explains Dr Campbell. The food processing and restaurant industries generate more than $164 billion in sales annually and employ nearly 1.5 million people. Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that chronic diseases cost Canada $190 billion (nearly 10% per cent of GDP) annually and affect many millions more.
Dr Campbell is calling on Canadians and their elected officials to pledge their support for making nutrition a priority at hypertensiontalk.com.
