Snack Consumption Patterns among Canadians.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Dietary Patterns

Background:

• Global increase in snacking prevalence and its contribution to daily energy intake.
• Snacking is a common dietary behavior with significant implications for overall nutrient consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the patterns of snack consumption in a representative Canadian population aged two years and older.
• To analyze the frequency, energy contribution, and demographic variations in snacking behaviors across Canada.

Main Methods:

• Utilized national dietary data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS).
• Analyzed data from 19,677 participants aged two years and older to describe snacking patterns.
• Examined the relationship between snacking and obesity measures in different age groups.

Main Results:

• 80.4% of Canadians reported daily snacking, with higher prevalence in younger children (96.4%) compared to older adults (77.0%).
• Snacking accounted for nearly 23% of total daily energy intake, peaking at 27% in young children.
• No significant differences in obesity measures were found between snack consumers and non-consumers.

Conclusions:

• Snacking is a widespread behavior in Canada, significantly contributing to daily energy and nutrient intake.
• Targeting snack composition offers a viable strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of the Canadian diet.
• Further research may explore specific snack types and their impact on health outcomes.