CHOW CALLS FOR NATIONAL CHILDREN’S FOOD PROGRAM TO TACKLE GROWING OBESITY RATES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 14, 2010
MP Olivia Chow is dismayed that nearly three years to the day after she called for a national healthy food program for our children, there has been no action and kids are getting fatter.
“On January 17, 2007, I launched The Children’s Health and Nutrition Initiative with the support of the Toronto Board of Health, nutrition experts and well-known chefs to provide safe and healthy food to all Canadian children,” said Chow. “As of January 14, 2010, no action has been taken and Stats Can is telling us that the health of our children is in jeopardy.”
“Canada is one of the few developed countries without a nationally funded children’s nutrition program,” said Chow. “This is unacceptable in a country where Senators expense taxpayers for $19.5 million each year. A kid’s food program costs about the same to start.”
Chow made these statements in response to a Statistics Canada report that approximately 26 per cent of Canadian children aged 6 to 11, and 28 per cent of teenagers are overweight or obese. According to the study, the average 12-year-old boy is 14 pounds heavier today than in 1981, and girls are 11 pounds heavier.
“With these numbers, it would be grossly irresponsible for the federal government not to act immediately to fund a national food program for children in the upcoming budget,” said Chow.
“Obesity carries a heavy cost for families and for society because once children and teenagers get accustomed to eating unhealthy food, it difficult to reverse this pattern.”
The Children’s Health and Nutrition Initiative calls for a nutritious breakfast, snack or lunch to be provided to any Canadian child under eighteen years of age. The second component of the Initiative calls for innovative ways to protect children from manipulative marketing messages that encourage poor nutritional habits. The NDP introduced a private members bill to ban all commercial advertising directed at children under the age of 13 years.
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Chow also released a list of leading nutritionists, health experts, chefs and children’s advocates across Canada who support the Initiative, including: Natalie MacLean, award winning wine writer (Ottawa), Susur Lee, Chef, Susur Restaurant and Lee Restaurant (Toronto), James Chatto, Food Critic, Toronto Life (Toronto), Chris Nuttall-Smith, Food Editor, Toronto Life (Toronto), Ian Sorbie, Owner, Il Fornello Restaurants (Toronto), FoodShare Toronto, Breakfast for Learning, Center for Science in the Public Interest, CUPE 4400, Campaign for Public Education, Stonegate Community Health Centre, Toronto Board of Health.
For more information please contact:
Kerry-Ann Taylor, Office of Olivia Chow 416-533-2710
