Contents
- Chronic Disease/Injury Prevention and Built Environment
- Healthy Eating and Food Security
- Injury Prevention
- Physical Activity
- Healthy Environments
- Tobacco Control Program
Ministry of Health
Healthy Eating
The Ministry promotes and supports making healthy food and beverage choices available in key settings: school, home/community and work.
Initiatives and Programs
Action Schools BC - Healthy Eating is a program funded by the Ministry of Health to help integrate healthy eating activities and policy into the school setting. The Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource focuses on increasing vegetable and fruit consumption, reducing intake of sugary drinks, reducing sodium intake, and media awareness. Lesson plans include implementation ideas, recommended resources, and curriculum connections that support healthy eating in the classroom and throughout the school. Through facilitated workshops, teachers learn innovative, hands-on healthy eating activities and strategies to incorporate into the classroom and the school community.
BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program is supported by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the ministries of Agriculture and Education to support healthy eating by increasing exposure and awareness of local fruits and vegetables. This program provides local fruit and vegetables to students in public and First Nations schools. One-time grants help school districts to purchase fridges.
Sip Smart BC is an educational program that helps teach children in Grades 4 to 6 about sugary drinks and about making healthy drink choices.
Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales:
In British Columbia, guidelines have been developed that set out the minimum nutrition standards for food and beverages sold in a variety of public places. The guidelines are a tool to help create healthy eating environments where people work, learn and play. In the guidelines, nutrition criteria are used to classify food into “Choose Most" and "Choose Sometimes” categories.
Schools
Mandatory guidelines set out the minimum nutrition standards that must be met for all food and beverages sold in schools. The guidelines are in the process of being revised based on input from education and health stakeholders. For a list of the foods and beverages that meet provincial nutrition standards for schools and public buildings, visit www.brandnamefoodlist.ca.
Recreation Facilities and Local Government Buildings
Local government buildings and recreational facilities can voluntarily adopt the school guidelines. Where recreation centres are either attached to or located near schools, sales should be consistent with school guidelines.
Sporting Events
Voluntary guidelines are available for food service organizations that provide catering for day-long or multi-day sporting events, and for food concession operators located within venues that host sporting events.
Public Buildings
Guidelines have been adapted to promote healthier food and beverage choices in vending machines in public buildings including hospitals. Retail food service establishments located in health care facilities will be required to enrol in the Informed Dining Program.
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