CBC News Indepth: The Food We Eat: The Nation's Diet

INDEPTH: FOOD
By the Numbers: Canada and the United States
CBC News Online | January 19, 2004

Since 1998, Statistics Canada has been comparing what Canadians eat and drink with Americans, using figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While Americans eat more cheese, ice cream, meat and eggs than we do (and twice as much turkey), we seem to be eating just a bit more of healthy foods than Americans: a little more fish, and more fruits and vegetables. Canadians drink more two per cent milk, Americans drink more whole milk. (Canadians also drink slightly more coffee than Americans, which may or may not be related to the competition between doughnut shops and gourmet coffee outlets.)

(All tables based on most recent figures available for both countries. Figures based on what statisticians call "disappearances" from the food chain, and may include waste or other forms of disposal in addition to consumption.)

Fresh Fruit (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	63.16	55.69
2001	60.88	54.22
Frozen Fruit (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	1.43	1.42
2001	1.54	1.53
Canned Fruit (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	3.09	6.17
2001	3.25	6.22
Fruit Juice (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	25.12	31.08
2001	25.93	30.66
Fresh Vegetables
	Canada	U.S.
1998	140.19	118.96
2001	142.26	120.34
Frozen Vegetables
	Canada	U.S.
1998	7.78	8.77
2001	8.21	7.78
Canned Vegetables
	Canada	U.S.
1998	28.75	43.96
2001	29.36	39.82
Wheat Flour (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	67.30	65.73
2001	71.24	63.93
Rice (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	7.89	8.31
2001	7.98	9.18
Breakfast Food (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	5.33	7.08
1999	5.32	7.03
Beef (in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	23.24	30.18
2001	23.34	29.83
Pork (in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	21.75	23.27
2001	21.99	22.65
Chicken and Stewing Hen (in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	28.28	37.50
2001	32.14	39.51
Turkey (in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	4.26	8.00
2001	4.21	7.91
Fish (in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	8.81	6.59
2001	9.75	6.67
Eggs (number)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	180.88	239.10
2001	189.93	251.14
Nuts (kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	4.44	3.92
2001	4.53	3.91
Pulses (beans, lentils and peas in kilograms)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	4.01	3.95
2001	4.09	3.80
Soft Drinks (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	116.99	181.25
2001	113.24	185.33
Coffee (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	95.39	90.35
2001	101.05	91.52
Tea (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	62.34	31.28
2001	72.77	30.87
Standard Milk (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	14.74	29.63
2001	13.99	28.06
2% Milk (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	44.55	27.83
2001	41.68	26.55
Light Milk (litres)
	Canada	U.S.
1998	24.55	24.55
2001	25.86	22.94

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JUNK FOOD: Junk food in schools
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BY THE NUMBERS: What we ate in 2002 Food and Drink in 38 years Canada and the U.S.
CANADA'S FOOD GUIDES: Interactive Timeline

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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