Evidence of meeting #22 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was consultation.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mary Bush  Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
Élaine De Grandpré  Nutritionist, Planning, Dissemination and Outreach, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Department of Health
Danielle Brulé  Director, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Department of Health
Janet Pronk  Acting Director, Policy and Standard Setting, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Department of Health
Lori Doran  Acting Director, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Department of Health

5:25 p.m.

Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health

Mary Bush

Thank you. In our office, we actually developed the guidelines that define BMI and the importance of waist circumference as a measure, because it certainly is central adiposity that increases risk.

The issue of BMI was simply to say to you that the energy requirement formulas are driven by height and weight and activity. In order to make sure the pattern of eating that we were providing did not provide more energy than one could term appropriate, we used the BMI of the mid-point of a normal weight with the measured heights from the CCHS data that relate to Canadians in order to anchor ourselves and just be sure that the energy that's being delivered is not excessive.

I would also say to you that the energy being delivered absolutely depends on what's chosen. And to the comment that you can't ignore ketchup, it's absolutely right that you can't ignore ketchup. You need to be able to look at the pattern and say that by following this pattern, with modest amounts of condiments, we'll say, you're going to be anchored in a pattern that's not going to contribute to excess energy. Now that I've said that, if you start pouring sauces on everything you eat, that's excess energy.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Thank you.

We have time for—

5:25 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

What about the cost of Canada’s Food Guide?

5:25 p.m.

Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health

Mary Bush

Le coût, yes. Cost is a tricky question. I can tell you what it's going to cost to print it. We're going to print four million copies, at a cost of $200,000. But that cost is the cost of the paper and printing, that's not—

5:25 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Yes, but how much did the research and everything associated with it cost? In other words, what is the overall cost?

5:25 p.m.

Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health

Mary Bush

Absolutely. I think it's a very good question. We'll get you that information. I don't have that with me.

5:25 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Good. Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Thank you very much.

We have time for just one quick question and one quick answer, and we'll ask Ms. Bennett if she'll—

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

As I went across the country, it was very clear that there was terrific work being done in the multicultural communities across this country. A number of different places would proudly show us what they've translated into Portuguese, into Punjabi, into whatever. Is there not a role for Health Canada to be the clearing house for these, so that small community groups, CACs, don't have to do that themselves? I also think some of the terrific nutritionists on the ground would have also adapted it to a Chinese diet, to an Indian diet, to these kinds of things.

So it seems that we're still taking 1957 approaches to this for our multicultural society when, on the web, having people able to download these things in twenty languages seems more appropriate for the populations that are most at risk.

5:25 p.m.

Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health

Mary Bush

I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, that is what we're looking at in terms of making many languages available on the website. The issue is not that we don't think it should be.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

But in the clearing house piece, have you asked people to send in what they're already doing, like the Nunavut one, which I think is probably one of the best ones?

5:25 p.m.

Director General, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health

Mary Bush

Yes. As I said, we have a collection of about 26 different languages and adaptations that already exist on the 1992 food guide. So absolutely, we collect them, we're interested in them, and we dialogue with them.

The next question is why, when we come out with the 2007, we cannot get some of those linguistic characteristics available to those people so that every little community doesn't have to do it. We're investigating that as we speak, because we agree with you. It's a very important piece.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Thank you very much for your second presentation and testimony before the committee.

The time has gone. You've been very passionate about this. The questions were excellent, and the answers equally so.

The meeting is adjourned.