No Time to Wait: The Health Kids Strategy - Ontario

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2.3 Require all restaurants, includingfast food outlets and retail grocerystores, to list the calories in eachitem on their menus and to make thisinformation visible on menu boards.This change will put the informationfamilies need at the point of purchase.The new legislation (or regulatory changesto existing legislation) should also requirerestaurants and retail stores that serveprepared foods to list the recommendeddaily caloric intake for the average child,youth and adult on their menus and menuboards.2.4 Encourage food retailers to adopttransparent, easy-to-understand,standard, objective nutrition ratingsystems for the products in their stores.Customers should have easy access toinformation about each store’s ratingsystem, what it means, who developed it andhow to use it when shopping. To meet thegrowing consumer demand for healthierfood options, the panel encourages thefood manufacturing industry to continueto develop and promote healthier products.We also encourage food retailers to provideservices like cooking classes and dietitians intheir stores that can help customers becomemore informed about the foods they buy andeat, and how to prepare nutritious meals.2.5 Support the use of Canada’s FoodGuide and the nutrition facts panel.Both the Canada Food Guide and thenutrition facts panel are the responsibilityof the federal government. Ontario shouldsupport the use of these tools to helpparents, children and youth make informedfood choices. The province should alsoencourage the federal government to makethe nutrition facts panel easier to read anduse, and to educate people in its use.2.6 Provide incentives for Ontariofood growers and producers, fooddistributors, corporate food retailers,and non-governmental organizationsto support community-based fooddistribution programs.Ontario should establish financialincentives, such as tax-related initiatives,to encourage the private sector to sellfresh produce, dairy and milk productsto community-based food distributionprograms. The panel encourages nongovernmentalorganizations to leveragetheir community infrastructure to ensurefamilies are aware of these programs and tobuild community capacity to deliver theseprograms.2.7 Provide incentives for food retailersto develop stores in food deserts.Municipal and provincial governmentsshould explore the types of incentives usedin other jurisdictions to attract stores tofood deserts thereby increasing accessto fresh food and creating jobs, such asproviding tax incentives and rebates, creatingzoning allowances and providing planningsupport. For example, the U.S. governmenthas established the Healthy Food FinancingInitiative to offset the costs associated withcreating and maintaining grocery stores inunderserviced areas.When the food deserts are in neighbourhoodswith high rates of social disparities (e.g., lowincomes, low high school graduation rates,high rates of youth crime), these retailfood developments should be linked withcommunity hubs being developed bynon-governmental organizations, such36
Ensure the programs incorporate the keyfeatures of successful school-based initiatives,including: ensuring a long-term commitment(i.e., at least 12 months), providing teachertraining, integrating the nutrition programwith the curriculum, promoting leadershipfrom students and school food service staff,and involving parents at school and athome. 143 The programs should also work todevelop fundraising activities that promotehealthy foods.as the YMCA and the United Way. Thistype of collaboration will support overallchild health in at-risk neighbourhoodsby increasing access to a combination ofhealthy food, physical activity, parentingprograms and other community services.2.8 Establish a universal school nutritionprogram for all Ontario publicly fundedelementary and secondary schools.Leverage existing school nutrition programs,extending them to reach every child. Theseprograms should include learning aboutwhere food comes from and how it isgrown, as well as the hands-on experienceof cooking and access to healthy foods forthose coming to school hungry. Every effortshould be made to ensure these programsare culturally sensitive. Consider engagingcorporate sponsors and using a competitivesocial finance approach to fund breakfastand lunch programs where required.2.9 Establish a universal school nutritionprogram for First Nations communities.Ontario should work with First Nationsleadership and the federal government toidentify a culturally appropriate way todeliver a universal school nutrition programthat will meet the needs of children inFirst Nations communities.2.10 Develop a single standard guidelinefor food and beverages served or soldwhere children play and learn.Extend Ontario’s School Food and Beveragepolicy to apply to all publicly funded,subsidized or regulated settings wherechildren play and learn, including:Early Years Centres, Best Start Hubs, childcare settings, schools, and communitysport and recreation facilities. Ensure thestandard policy and guidelines reflectculturally appropriate foods. Until thesingle standard guideline is developedand approved, all settings should be heldaccountable for fully implementing anyexisting standards and guidelines andshould have access to the resourcesrequired to implement those standards.37143 Knai C, Pomerlau J, Lock K, McKee M. (2006). Getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine 42;85-95.
Page 1 and 2: No Time to Wait:The Healthy Kids St
Page 3 and 4: Table of ContentsExecutive Summary
Page 5 and 6: Our Strategy in Brief31. Start All
Page 7 and 8: I. Raising Healthy KidsParents in O
Page 9 and 10: Measured Overweight and Obesity in
Page 11 and 12: If Nothing Changes, Our KidsFace a
Page 13 and 14: Why are our children struggling tob
Page 15: Mental health. We are only just beg
Page 19 and 20: The advertising messages are everyw
Page 21 and 22: Income inequality has been increasi
Page 23 and 24: play a vital role in helping young
Page 25 and 26: III. Healthy KidsStrategyThe factor
Page 27 and 28: 1. Start All Kids on thePath to Hea
Page 29 and 30: 10 Steps to being designated aWHO b
Page 31 and 32: ●●●●Endorse the WHO Interna
Page 33 and 34: Instead of introducing voluntary in
Page 35 and 36: The panel believes we can achieve o
Page 37: “ Remove all junk food from the c
Page 41 and 42: and emotional well-being. Entries w
Page 43 and 44: and ensure children are active thro
Page 45 and 46: RecommendationsOntario should take
Page 47 and 48: 3.5 Develop the knowledge and skill
Page 49 and 50: IV. From Strategyto ActionOntario h
Page 51 and 52: B. Invest in Child HealthGiven the
Page 53 and 54: C.1 Develop a surveillance system t
Page 55 and 56: V. Setting the Bar HighThe need is
Page 57 and 58: Appendix 1:Healthy Kids Panel Terms
Page 59 and 60: SupportSecretariat support will be
Page 61 and 62: Thought LeadersName Title Date Pres
Page 63 and 64: Appendix 3:Research Consulted by He
Page 65 and 66: Katzmarzyk, P. T., Baur, L. A., Bla

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