Healthy Eating
Healthy eating prevents many health concerns. Thirty per cent of incidents of cancer and diabetes and twenty per cent of cardiovascular disease can be attributed to poor nutrition. Illness resulting from poor nutrition is estimated to cost the province over $800 million per year. Hospital costs alone for major diet-related diseases exceed $80 million per year in BC.
The Ministry of Health Planning, the University of British Columbia, and Health Canada have conducted a survey of adults' eating habits. The results of the BC Nutrition Survey will guide and support public health policies and programs on healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weight. Reports of the survey results will be available on this Web site in the near future.
Did you know?
- Breakfast recharges your mind and body for the day ahead.
- Skipping breakfast makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy body weight and results in sudden cravings for sweet or fatty foods a few hours into the day.
Tips for Healthy Eating
- Eat whole grain breads, cereals, rice, buns, spaghetti, pita bread or crackers.
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, especially dark green and orange ones such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, squash, cantaloupe and oranges.
- Watch the 'extras' and try to cut down on added fats like butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings.
- Try to limit your 'junk food', which has few nutritious calories and lots of fat, salt and sugar.
- You can cut back on fat and sugar by not supersizing your meals.
- Choose leaner meats, poultry and fish, as well as peas, beans and lentils more often.
- Enjoy "Lets make a meal!" This is a fun interactive menu planner. Visit the healthy eating centre. Diabetes in British Columbia Synthesis Report (PDF 530Kb)
Dial-A-Dietitian
Funded by the ministry, Dial-A-Dietitian is a free nutrition information line available to all British Columbians. Registered dietitians answer your questions about nutrition, food safety, chronic disease prevention and health promotion. They also provide information on resources related to physical activity, healthy body weight and healthy eating.
For information, visit the
Dial-A-Dietitian web site.
To speak with a registered dietitian or nutritionist, you can call toll-free in BC
1-800-667-3438; in Greater Vancouver, call 604 732-9191.
Chronic Disease Managment
Find information on chronic disease management designed for BC health care providers and individuals living with a chronic disease.
More Information on Healthy Eating
Find additional information and resources on healthy eating below.
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
Canadian Cancer Society - Healthy Eating
Canadian Health Network - Healthy Eating
Dietitians of Canada
Health Canada - Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Healthy Eating
Heart and Stroke Foundation - Healthy Weights, Healthy You
Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in British Columbia (PDF 335Kb)
National Institute of Nutrition
Senior Chef - Cooking for One or Two (PDF 240Kb)
PDF Format
Some documents on this website are in PDF format and require a PDF reader. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 7.0 or the most recent version of another PDF reader, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader by selecting the 'Get Acrobat Reader' icon.
Last Revised: December 17, 2007
