Nutritional Sciences
University of Toronto
This presentation will examine what Canadian adults eat and whether they are getting enough essential nutrients, using national data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. While most Canadians consumed a reasonable balance of energy, carbohydrates, fats, and protein, many are not getting enough important vitamins and minerals needed for good health. In particular, very high proportions of adults have inadequate intakes of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C, while most also fall short on fibre and potassium. At the same time, many Canadians consume too much sodium, which can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Additional analyses showed that many Canadian adults, especially older adults, do not meet recommended protein intake levels needed to support muscle and functional health. Diets higher in protein were linked to better intake of some key nutrients, but also to lower fibre and potassium, and a greater reliance on animal-based protein sources. Overall, the findings show that even when energy intake appears adequate, the quality of the diet is often poor, highlighting the need for stronger nutrition policies and food environments that better support healthy eating across the population.
Dr. Mavra Ahmed is a public health nutrition and food policy scientist with recognized expertise in systems-based approaches to improving child nutrition and food environments. She is a Research Associate at the Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition and the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. She also holds adjunct faculty and lecturer positions at the Ontario Tech University, Toronto Metropolitan and York University and will be joining as faculty at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her areas of expertise include food and nutrition policy (e.g. school food programs, food labelling and nutritional quality of the food supply, marketing, nutrient profiling, and consumer nutrition literacy), dietary assessment, digital health interventions, and the application of machine learning/artificial intelligence in nutrition research.