Abstract

Background

Public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic have upended the way Canadians eat and shop for food. Since the pandemic began, many Canadians have reported consuming food away from home (FAFH) less often. FAFH tends to be less healthful than food prepared at home. Little is known about patterns of Canadians’ FAFH consumption before the pandemic. This study used 2015 national-level nutrition data, the most recent available, to characterize patterns of FAFH consumption and selected markers of dietary intake.

Data and methods

National-level food intake data came from the first 24-hour dietary recall provided by 20,475 respondents aged 1 or older to the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition. Mean daily intakes of selected food subgroups and nutrients, adjusted for total energy intake, were compared between those who had consumed any food in a restaurant on the previous day and those who had not. Estimates were generated overall and for eight age and sex groups.

Results

In 2015, overall, 21.8% of Canadians had consumed FAFH in a restaurant on the previous day. Eating out was most common among males aged 19 to 54 (27.7%) and least common among young children aged 1 to 5 (8.4%). Compared with Canadians who had not eaten out on the previous day, those who had eaten out had consumed, on that day, fewer servings of whole fruit; whole grains; dark green and orange vegetables; other vegetables (excluding potatoes); milk and fortified soy-based beverages; and legumes, nuts and seeds, on average. Those who had eaten out had consumed, on average, less fibre and total sugar, and more total fat, saturated fat and sodium on that day. There were few differences for meat and poultry, fish and seafood, and protein intake.

Conclusion

On the day that Canadians ate out in a restaurant, their dietary intake was generally less favourable than that of Canadians who did not eat out. If Canadians continue to eat at home more and to consume less FAFH, as early pandemic–period reports suggest, then results can be used to gauge the potential dietary implications of these shifts.

Keywords

Canadian Community Health Survey, nutrition surveys, dietary intake, eating away from home, restaurant.

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202100800003-eng

Findings

Consuming food prepared away from home, whether while eating out at a restaurant or ordering takeout, is an enduring aspect of Canadians’ dietary habits. The average Canadian household spent over one-quarter (26.9%) of its food budget on meals and snacks purchased from restaurants in 2019. In 2016, more than half (54%) of Canadians reported consuming food away from home (FAFH) at least once a week. As of 2018, Canada had nearly 97,000 restaurants, which received an average of 22 million visits per day. [Full article]

Authors

Jane Y. Polsky and Didier Garriguet both work with the Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

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