Abstract

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Background
Keywords
Findings
Authors
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What does this study add?

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Background

A surveillance tool was developed to assess dietary intake collected by surveys in relation to Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (CFG). The tool classifies foods in the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) according to how closely they reflect CFG. This paper describes the validation exercise conducted to ensure that CNF foods determined to be “in line with CFG” were appropriately classified.

Methods

With statistical modelling, 8,000 simulated diets (500 for each of the 16 Dietary Reference Intake [DRI] age/sex groups) were generated using commonly consumed foods classified as “in line with CFG.” Criteria for assessing the energy content and nutrient distributions of the simulated diets were based on factors considered in the development of CFG, including Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) and Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) values.

Results

The median energy content of the simulated diets was at or below reference EERs. Most age/sex group distributions had macronutrient profiles that met the assessment criterion of 80% of the distribution within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range, and almost all age/sex group distributions had a low prevalence (less than 10%) of micronutrient profiles below the Estimated Average Requirements. Overall, the findings indicate that diets consisting of foods that are commonly consumed by Canadians and that are “in line with CFG” have a low probability of energy excess and nutrient inadequacy.

Interpretation

The classification of foods in the CNF accurately reflects CFG recommendations and can be used to assess surveillance data.

Keywords

Canada’s Food Guide, dietary guidance, food classification system, nutrition surveys, surveillance

Findings

The Canadian Nutrient File (CNF), Canada’s standard reference food composition database, is used to analyze data collected by food consumption and nutrition surveys. The 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) was the most recent survey to collect food consumption data for Canada. Based on these data, the diets of Canadians have been assessed in relation to recommendations in Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (CFG).  However, the methods researchers have applied to identify foods consistent with CFG  have differed. [Full Text]

Authors

Lisa-Anne Elvidge Munene, Krista Esslinger, Doris Miller and Sylvie St-Pierre are with the Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Products and Food Branch, and Lydia Dumais, Elizabeth Mansfield, Marie-France Verreault  and Maya Villeneuve are with the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate at Health Canada. Elaine Jones-Mclean is with the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch, Social Determinants and Science Integration Directorate at the Public Health Agency of Canada.