Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My name is Janet Beauvais, and I'm the director general of the food directorate at Health Canada.
I'm very pleased to be here today as you begin your study of childhood obesity.
Let me begin by saying that the food directorate, as part of the Health Products and Food Branch, plays an important role in maintaining the safety and nutritional quality of Canada's food supply. We are responsible for establishing policies and standards relating to the safety and nutritional quality of food, as well as health and safety-related labelling and advertising of food sold in Canada. The CFIA is responsible for enforcing these policies and standards.
One of the key activities highlighted by the World Health Organization's global health strategy on diet, physical activity and health was nutrition labelling. According to the strategy, national governments should provide accurate, standardized, and comprehensible information to allow consumers to make healthy choices. Mr. Chair, I'm pleased to say that Health Canada published nutrition labelling regulations in 2003, after an extensive five-year consultation period. These regulations, which require that calories and the content of 13 core nutrients be listed on labels for most pre-packaged foods, came into effect on December 12, 2005.
The regulations require that this information about the caloric value and the nutrient content of a food be conveyed in a standardized format known as the nutritions facts table, which is easy to find and read on a label. The caloric value is the first item listed in this table. It was envisioned that the provision of information would not only help consumers make healthier food choices but would also act as an incentive for the food industry to produce healthier products. Evidence is mounting that this intended effect is taking place. For example, since the requirement to list trans fat became mandatory under the new regulation, a number of food companies have reformulated their products to remove trans fat.
The regulations also contain requirements for the use of over 40 nutrient content claims. These claims indicate, for example, that a food is calorie reduced; it must have 25% fewer calories than a comparable food. These claims are another tool that help Canadians choose a healthier diet and in turn encourage the food industry to innovate and develop products that, for example, are lower in calories, sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat.
Mr. Chair, I would also like to mention that Health Canada has been encouraging the Canadian restaurant industry, which is not subject to these requirements, to provide nutrition information to consumers. In February of last year, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association launched a voluntary nutrition information program that will see participating restaurants provide consumers with nutrient values that are consistent with the core nutrient label information currently required for packaged goods. Since the launch of the nutrition information program, more than 25 restaurant chains, representing about 40% of all chain establishments, have signed on to this program.
Let me conclude by saying that the mandatory nutritions fact table, in addition to nutrient content claims and the nutrition information provided in major restaurant chains, combined with education on their use, offers a significant public health opportunity to improve the nutritional health and well-being of Canadians. This information helps consumers make healthy food choices to reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases and conditions such as obesity by enabling them to compare products more easily, determine the nutritional value of foods, and better manage special diets related to chronic disease.
We look forward to the results of your study and any recommendations for action that will assist us in creating an environment that supports all Canadians in achieving healthy body weights.
Thank you.