A Lack of Nutritious Food is Harming Canadians

The food we eat has an incredible impact on our health and well being. Fibre protects against chronic disease, and too much salt is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Yet recent studies have found the average Canadian’s diet is low in fibre and high in salt. 

Health Canada’s new Food Guide was an attempt to connect health to the food that we eat but there is a larger issue that prevents Canadians from bettering their health through food: Poverty. 

The recent Who’s Hungry Report (Read More), found that food prices in Toronto have risen by 7.5% and food bank visits have increased by 4% over the last year. According to the Toronto Star, “the average Canadian is being priced out of access to a nutritious diet”. This means many people cannot afford to eat healthily and it is having negative impacts on their health. 

Toronto is in need of urgent poverty reduction measures that will effectively target food insecurity and improve human health and wellbeing. 

For more information on policies, and programs read The Toronto Star article on https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/11/26/a-lack-of-nutritious-food-is-harming-canadians.html?fbclid=IwAR1Ydv86Ow9qgqcG-RxMpvf1PrfeClHyXi6FLXUHh1-FVGBVV0PDkpHs5I4