New Nutrition Guidelines Help Daycares, Schools and Recreation Facility Operators Plan Nutritious Foods

News Release
June 3, 2008

A first-of-its-kind publication benefits Alberta’s children with healthier food choices

Edmonton… Alberta is the first province to create anutrition guidelines resource specifically for caregivers operating childcare facilities, schools and recreation centres where Alberta’s children learn, gather and play.“Individuals, families, organizations and communities need to be working together to increase the availability and appeal of healthier food choices, and to teach and model healthy eating behaviour to our children,” said Dr. Raj Sherman, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Wellness. “These new guidelines will assist operators of facilities to recognize and apply the concepts of healthy nutrition in a consistent way, so that kids will have access to healthy foods wherever they go.”

The Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth have been developed to assist organizations and equip facility operators with the tools needed to provide young people with healthy food choices from the time they enter daycare right through to high school, and whenever they are at recreation centres, special events or in the community.

Based on what constitutes a healthy diet, the nutrition guidelines take into account that increasingly, children are eating snacks and meals and drinking beverages outside of the home. While there is more awareness that eating better and being active are necessities, these guidelines urge caregivers to make healthy changes throughout the community.

The Government of Alberta set aside $18 million in 2006 to fund a number of health initiatives directed at children and youth. Of the $18 million, $200,000 was used towards developing these guidelines.

The nutrition guidelines were created by an advisory group comprised of the Alberta ministries of Education, Children and Youth Services, Tourism Parks and Recreation, Municipal Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as the Public Health Agency of Canada, First Nations Inuit Health branch and regional health authorities.

The Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth support the province’s Action Plan on Health by promoting healthy lifestyles. The guide also supports Alberta’s Create a Movement campaign, a successful program that encourages Albertans to eat better and move more. Information on this campaign can be viewed online at createamovement.ca

The guidelines, available free of charge to facility operators, will begin to be distributed in the summer. Schools will receive a copy in the fall. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy can go online to healthyalberta.com.

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Backgrounder: overview of the new guidelines

Media inquiries may be directed to:
Edi Skoropad
Communications
Alberta Health and Wellness
780-427-7164