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INDEPTH: FOOD
By the Numbers: Food and Drink in 38 years
CBC News Online | January 19, 2004

(Figures courtesy Statistics Canada)

How have the eating and drinking habits of Canadians changed over the 38 years from 1964 (when Statistics Canada began collecting data) until 2002, the last year that figures are available?

We're eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more juice, a little less booze and a lot more soft drinks. We're eating more cereals and about the same amount of nuts and beans. Our intake of sugar and syrup has remained about the same. We're drinking about the same amount of milk and eating a little more cheese. We're eating a little less red meat and eggs but a lot more poultry.

Statistics Canada says there are several reasons for the changes in the eating and drinking habits of Canadians. As well as an increased awareness of what is healthy to eat, what we eat and drink has also changed due to increased immigration and the growing desire by all Canadians to eat a wide variety of meals that originate from different ethnic groups.

Food consumed per person in Canada

Fruit (kilograms)
FreshCanned FrozenDried
196429.28 6.861.111.41
198433.98 4.81 1.101.26
2002 37.25 4.641.641.32


Fruit Juice (litres)
19646.53
198421.07
200224.58


Vegetables (kilograms)
FreshFrozen Canned
196458.13 1.5110.84
198468.723.2311.81
200273.75 11.931.33


Vegetable Juice (litres)
19643.89
19843.03
20021.33


Alcoholic Beverages (in litres, consumers over 15 years old)
1964103.64
1984119.83
200299.52


Soft Drinks (in litres, first year of survey 1972)
197248.96
198465.41
200299.68


Coffee and Tea (in litres, first year of survey 1964, 1966)
CoffeeTea
1964 -- 78.29
1966 78.6271.96
1984 82.40 59.11
2002 90.52 63.24


Milk and Dairy Products
(Cheese in kilograms, milk and other products in litres)
Fluid Milk CheeseOther Dairy Products
1964 64.232.8914.60
198473.96 6.0917.01
200262.348.7519.02


Animal Products (in kilograms, eggs in dozens, first year of fish survey 1988)
Red MeatPoultryFishEggs
1964 29.512.05 -- 17.73
1984 31.549.33 -- 14.16
198829.7110.666.3613.03
200227.3113.627.1712.82


Cereals, Beans and Nuts (in kilograms)
Cereals Pulses and Nuts
196446.427.14
198449.766.54
200265.608.87
(Pulses include beans, lentils and peas)


Fat, Oil, Sugar and Syrup (in kilograms)
Oils and Fats Sugars and Syrups
196414.08 33.10
198416.5130.98
2002 23.4234.15






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QUICK FACTS:
Guidelines for Healthy Eating

1. Enjoy a variety of foods.
2. Emphasize cereals, breads, other grain products, vegetables and fruit.
3. Choose lower-fat dairy products, leaner meats and food prepared with little or no fat.
4. Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by enjoying regular physical activity and healthy eating.
5. Limit salt, alcohol and caffeine.

Source: Health Canada

EXTERNAL LINKS:
CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites. Links will open in new window.

External links: Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Living (1992 version)

U.S. Department of Agriculture food guide pyramid

Canada's Food Guide for Healthy Living website

Foodshare

McDonald's Canada nutrition calculator

Center for Science and the Public Interest: Health Nutrition and Diet

Scientific American: Rebuilding the Food Pyramid

Health Canada tipsheet on Nutrition Facts table

Health Canada tipsheet on diet-related health claims

Canadian Food Inspection Agency 2003 Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising

Centre for Science in the Public Interest

Food Processors of Canada

Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors
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