How well do parents understand the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide?
How well do parents understand the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide?
This study explored parents’ knowledge of the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide recommendations and found that while most parents understood the general messages, many were less familiar with specific details such as the food groups and foods containing unhealthy fats.
What We Did and Why We Did It
Researchers from the Guelph Family Health Study surveyed 122 parents of preschool-aged children to assess their knowledge of the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide recommendations. Parents completed questions about the main messages of the Food Guide, the names of the three food groups, foods that contain unhealthy fats, and recommendations around cooking more often. Researchers analyzed parents’ responses to better understand which recommendations were well understood and where knowledge gaps existed.
Canada’s Food Guide was updated in 2019 with several major changes, including a new plate model, updated food groups, and a greater focus on healthy eating habits. While previous research has explored Canadians’ awareness and opinions of the updated Food Guide, less was known about how well people understood the specific recommendations. Understanding knowledge gaps can help improve nutrition education and knowledge translation efforts to better support Canadians in following healthy eating recommendations.
What We Found
What We Can Learn From This
Parents generally had a good understanding of the overall messages in the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide, with many identifying recommendations such as filling half the plate with vegetables and fruit, choosing more plant-based proteins, and making water the drink of choice. However, fewer parents knew the specific details of the recommendations. Only 27% of parents correctly identified all three food groups: Vegetables and Fruit, Whole Grain Foods, and Protein Foods. Many parents also had difficulty identifying foods that contain unhealthy fats, with only 19% correctly identifying all examples listed in the Food Guide. In contrast, nearly all parents (98%) correctly recognized that the Food Guide recommends cooking more often. These findings suggest that while the general messages of the Food Guide are reaching parents, some of the more detailed recommendations may require additional clarification.
This study highlights the importance of making nutrition recommendations clear, memorable, and easy to apply in everyday life. Improving public understanding of specific recommendations, such as what counts as a whole grain food or which foods contain unhealthy fats, may help families make more informed food choices. Continued nutrition education and knowledge translation efforts can help bridge gaps between awareness of dietary guidelines and putting them into practice.
Limitations: The study included a relatively small sample of parents who were mostly White, highly educated, and from higher-income households in Southwestern Ontario, meaning the findings may not represent all Canadian families. Additionally, parents were only asked about certain Food Guide recommendations, so the study did not capture knowledge of every recommendation included in the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide. Further research with more diverse populations is needed to better understand Canadians’ knowledge and use of the Food Guide.
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