Diet and Nutrition
The fields of diet and nutrition have never before attracted as much attention. Today, most of the Québec population is conscious of the benefits of a healthy diet. Moreover, healthcare professional are increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy diet in the prevention of certain chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, severe chronic obstructive lung disease, etc).
However, eating well today is complicated by the fact that we tend to eat on the run to keep up with our fast-paced lives rather than consider food a fundamental need. Nearly 300,000 different food products are now available on grocery shelves. The world of food is populated by an assortment of flavours and widely disparate nutritional values. How can one make sense of all this and select the right foods without sacrificing taste and pleasure in eating?
To help people make wise choices, the Diet and Nutrition section of the MSSS Website presents current information (in French only) intended for educators, parents and children on certain themes such as:
- News and events related to health and nutrition
- Canada’s Food Guide for Healthy Eating and its four food groups (Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products, Meat and Alternatives and Milk Products)
- Information about the various nutrients found in food (iron, calcium, vitamin C, etc.)
- Recommended diets for certain age groups:
- Infants and toddlers: breastfeeding, breastfeeding support organizations, introducing solid foods, etc.
- Children: growth, infantile obesity, food allergies, children’s eating behaviours, etc.
- Seniors: changes in appetite, constipation, eating alone or with one other person, simple and tasty recipes, high blood pressure, tips for healthy eating, etc.
- Information about chronic diseases that are related to diet (e.g., diabetes)
- A FAQ page to answer questions on a wide variety of subjects: allergies, vitamins, minerals, fibre, healthy restaurant eating, etc.
The site also contains a list of publications produced by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and a number of useful links to sites related to nutrition.
Enjoy your visit!
