Creating "Plates" to Evaluate Canadians' Dietary Intake in Relation to the 2019 Canada's Food Guide

Explore Canadians' dietary intake in relation to the 2019 Canada's Food Guide (CFG) Plate using novel volume-based food analyses, by age and meal occasion.

Foods reported in 24-hour recalls by 20,456 Canadians in the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey - Nutrition were classified as: Vegetables and Fruits, Whole Grain Foods, Protein Foods, Non-Whole Grain Foods or Other Foods (high in fat, sugar, sodium). Food volumes were used to calculate percent contributions of each grouping to total intake, stratified by age (1-6; 7-12; 13-17; 18-64; 65+years) and meal (breakfast, lunch, supper, snack), applying sample survey weights and bootstrapping.

By volume, the Canadian population diet included: 29% Vegetables and Fruits, 22% Protein Foods, 7% Whole Grains, 24% Non-Whole Grain Foods, and 18% Other Foods. Intakes of Protein Foods (1-6 years) and Other Foods (7-12; 13-17 years) were higher in children than adults by volume, relative to total intake. Whole Grains intake was highest at breakfast. Other Foods intake was highest at snack.

The volume-based population diet of Canadians reported on a single day includes a substantial proportion of non-recommended foods. There are opportunities to design interventions that target specific foods, ages, and meals to align intake with recommendations.