23 percent of Canadians aged 18 or older approx 5.5 m adults are obese, and 8.6 million more or 36 percent are overweight, as of 2004.
It’s nearly as many as the U.S, with 40% overweight and 24 percent obese, as of 2004.
So, Canada wisely consulted thousands of nutritionists to create a rainbow of foods in 4 colorful stripes that its citizenry should eat. Canadian guidelines are similar to the U.S., with one exception.
*8 servings of fruits and vegetables
(versus 9 in the U.S.)
*7 servings of grains, half of which are whole
(versus 6 overall, also half whole in the U.S.)
*2 servings daily of milk or milk alternatives, which are equivalent (soy milk, and kefir specifically) and meat or meat alternatives (tofu and miso specifically)
(versus 3 of milk, more meat, and almost no soy mention…the U.S. dietary guidelines are hard to understand!)
But the big difference (other than the recommended Vitamin D3 (active form) supplement, because the sun is not strong enough year-round to convert the Vitamin D to its active form) is in the Canadian
*Eat Less” messages
“Limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium): Cakes and pastries; Cookies and granola bars; Ice cream and frozen desserts; Chocolate and candies; Doughnuts and muffins; French fries; Nachos; Potato chips; Alcohol; Fruit flavoured drinks; Soft drinks; Sports and energy drinks; Sweetened hot or cold drinks.”
(*versus none of those Eat Less messages in the U.S.)
If you are trying to lose weight, you should know what is in your food well-enough to make good choices. The choices above are high calorie, low nutrient treats, for special occasions, and rare on successful weight loss diets.
If you can eat just three French Fries, or have a sip of sweet ice tea, or a nibble of a granola bar, great. YOU are the exception.
My patients find that if they do not see it, they are much less likely to eat it. Environmental change, good guidelines and personal accountability are the keys for those who keep it off. Most do.
See how over 3000 people who have lost over 50 pounds and kept it off for 5 years still do it. You can too.