Supplied – Elsie HuiPOWER UP!, a research and policy group at University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, has given the province a “C” for its healthy food environments and nutrition for children.
The inaugural report card, which covered the areas of availability, marketing, and pricing of food products as well as the attitudes and beliefs surrounding them, was designed to provide a snapshot of whether Alberta was making it easy for children and youth to make healthy choices. Examining 41 different indicators, grades ranged from “A” to “F.”
Kim Raine, a professor at the School of Public health, is an expert on obesity and nutrition and co-lead author on the 108-page report.
“We often put all the responsibility on the individual when it comes to willpower and resisting those cinnamon buns calling your name as you walk past the cafeteria,” Raine said. “We wanted to look at where kids hang out, the messages they receive, and how that supports them in making healthy choices.”
One area were Alberta did well was regarding dietary guidelines for children. The Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children outline those foods considered “healthy” and “not healthy”, as well as the foods that should be present in public spaces like schools and recreation centres. Though POWER UP! handed out an “A” grade in this category, the guidelines are not mandatory, and many public spaces have chosen not to adopt the standards. With a benchmark of 75 per cent for public spaces’ healthy foods available as an “A”, Alberta schools had an average of 60 per cent, and were given a “C.”
Studies found that recreation centres graded even lower, with only 30 per cent of available food classified as healthy. She also pointed out that many rec centres exist nearby to schools, which creates its own set of issues with nutrition.
“Kids aren’t stupid,” Raine said. “If their school started adopting the healthy guidelines, they just make their way across the field to rinks or pools.”
Mandating the implementation of the guidelines that already exist would be a step in the right direction for Raine. She said making the guidelines more mandatory would have a positive impact on health, without impacting the bottom line of facilities.
Raine said that research supports the idea that sales of healthy foods are proportional to their availability, where if 40 per cent of foods sold in a given location are healthy, the sales of healthy food will be at 40 per cent. According to Raine, the same is true if 70 per cent of options are healthy.
There are regulations in place elsewhere that could have a positive impact on Alberta. Quebec, for example, has had restrictions on marketing to children since the 1980s. This has had a positive impact on the health of children, especially in the Francophone community.
Though obesity is one metric of childhood health examined in the study, Raine pointed to early-onset Type II diabetes as another ailment brought on by poor nutrition. The additional energy and focus proper nutrition can bring to the classroom is also important.
“Just feeling good and that you have energy is a positive thing,” Raine said. “And that comes from good nutrition.
“The simple thing we need to do is to be aware of the messages we’re receiving and where they’re coming from. To know who’s driving those food environments, and ask for better.”
