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Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Food nourishes the body and gives us energy to get through each day. Healthy eating is fundamental to good health and is a key element in healthy human development, from the prenatal and early childhood years to later life stages. Healthy eating is equally important in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases.

Health Canada's Role

Health Canada has provided national leadership in nutrition since the 1930s. Working collaboratively with federal partners, provinces and territories and a range of other stakeholders, the Department develops and implements evidence-based policy that defines healthy eating and promotes environments that support Canadians in making healthy food choices. Health Canada is also recognized as an authoritative source of nutrition information.

Health Canada's Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion and Food Directorate are the main groups responsible for matters related to nutrition. Some current initiatives include:

• Canada's Food Guide
• National Strategies: The Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy
• Task force for reducing trans fats in Canadian foods
• Nutrition Labelling

What Information is Available?

Health Canada offers a variety of resources on nutrition and healthy eating to help Canadians adopt a healthy and active lifestyle.