Harper Government and Retail Council of Canada bring healthy eating messages to Canadians where they shop

EAT WELL campaign delivers practical tips for busy families

OTTAWA, March 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, along with David Wilkes, Sr. Vice President, Grocery Division, from the Retail Council of Canada, launched the latest phase of the Harper Government's national Eat Well campaign which promotes healthy eating and healthy weights.

The campaign provides information for parents so they can make healthy choices at home, at the grocery store and when eating out. It provides easy-to-use tips for busy parents to help them make changes in their day-to-day lives. The campaign focuses on how planning can contribute to healthier food choices.

"Our government wants to provide information to Canadians to help them make healthier food choices," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Investing in the health of children and youth pays off in the long run for everyone, and the best way for us to do that is by continuing to provide leadership on nutrition and physical activity."

Working with partners, including the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, this part of the campaign aims to give Canadian families the information they need to make healthier food choices when they shop.

"Providing Canadians with the tools to eat well is a top priority of RCC's grocery members, so we are very pleased to be partners with the government in this campaign," said Wilkes. "Our grocers are committed to supporting healthy Canadians, and know we are best able to accomplish this goal when we all work together."

"The Heart and Stroke Foundation is very pleased to be working with Health Canada as it launches the latest phase of its Eat Well campaign," says Bobbe Wood, President of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. "Both organizations are committed to improving the health of Canadians and one important way to do this is to support their efforts to make nutritious and balanced food choices for themselves and their families.  Following a healthy diet is one of the best things Canadians can do to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke and live full healthy lives."

These latest activities build on the ongoing successes through media partners Astral Media, Corus Media and TC Transcontinental, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Dietitians of Canada, as well as Health Canada's ongoing Nutrition Facts Education Campaign, a collaboration with Food & Consumer Products of Canada.

The Harper Government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security.

For more information and healthy eating tips, please see: healthycanadians.gc.ca/eatwell

FACT SHEET - March 2013

The Eat Well campaign

The Eat Well campaign promotes healthy eating by providing consumers with information to help them make healthier choices at home, at the grocery store and when eating out.

The campaign includes:

• In-store information provided by members of the Retail Council of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers to help consumers make healthier food choices when they shop. The tactics used will vary by retailer, but include:
• In-store promotions such as signage, public service announcements running on TV monitors, booklets, fact sheets and radio messages.
• Promotions in retailers' other communications vehicles such as flyers, web banners, Facebook posts and Twitter messages.
• Media partnerships:
• Corus Entertainment: The cast of reality TV show "The Wilsons" appear in a series of vignettes.  Kortney and Dave Wilson and their 3 children have been learning about healthy eating and sodium reduction. The vignettes appear on W Network, CMT, OWN, YTV, Treehouse and ABC Spark. Digital coverage includes blogging, videos, Facebook posts, facts, tips, recipes and a monthly e-newsletter.
• Astral : Nutritionist Catherine Lefebvre and Astral celebrity Saskia Thuot appear in a series of vignettes covering how to make healthy choices when grocery shopping, at home and eating out. They air on Canal Vie, Canal D, VRAK and Teletoon. Digital coverage includes blogging, videos, articles, Facebook posts, tips and recipes.
• Transcontinental: A series of articles appear in Canadian Living and Coupe de Pouce magazines. Digital coverage includes blogging, "Ask an expert", videos of the families, e-newsletters, quizzes, Facebook posts and recipes.
• The federal government is also working with other governments, non-governmental organizations and other partners, providing information to assist Canadians so they can make healthier food choices. Additional partners include the Heart & Stroke Foundation and the Dietitians of Canada.
• Information about healthy eating can be found on Health Canada's web sites and messages, tips and resources are being shared with the department's many stakeholders and provincial and territorial governments.

This campaign builds on Health Canada's ongoing Nutrition Facts Education Campaign (NFEC), a collaboration with Food & Consumer Products of Canada. NFEC focuses on improving consumers' understanding of how to use the Nutrition Facts table, and, in particular, the % Daily Value, to help make healthier food choices.

For more information on healthy eating, visit healthycanadians.gc.ca/eatwell

Intermediaries may visit Health Canada's website at: http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/index-eng.php

Image with caption: "The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced the latest phase of Health Canada's Healthy eating campaign at an Ottawa supermarket. (CNW Group/Health Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130304_C9819_PHOTO_EN_24241.jpg

Image with caption: "The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and David Wilkes, of the Retail Council of Canada, get shopping tips from Registered Dietitian Carol Dombrow, of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to kick off a new phase of the Healthy Eating Campaign. (CNW Group/Health Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130304_C9819_PHOTO_EN_24243.jpg

SOURCE: Health Canada

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Media Enquiries:     
Health Canada
[phone]

Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
[phone]

Public Enquiries:
[phone]
1-866 225-0709

Retail Council of Canada:
Sally Ritchie
VP Communications and Marketing,
416 922-0553 ext. 228
1 888-373-8245
416-574-2552 (Mobile)
[email protected]

Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at
www.healthcanada.gc.ca/media