9
Volume2 Issue5
|
CDA
at
W
ork
In2014,HealthCanadaheldconsultations
withhealthorganizationsandCanadian
parents toexplorehownutrition labels
couldbe improved tohelpconsumersmake
healthychoices.WhileCDAandotherhealth
organizationsapplauded thegovernment’s
initiative, theyexpressedconcerns that
theministry’sproposedchangescouldbe
confusingandunintentionally lead topoor
fooddecisions.
Thegovernment’sproposedchanges in-
cludeplacinga thresholdondailyconsump-
tionof total sugars. Yet thiscould
“confuseconsumers, possibly
deterring them fromconsuming
morehealthy foods that contain
naturallyoccurring ‘bound sugars’,
suchaswholeunprocessed
unsweetenedvegetables, fruits,
nuts, legumes, and lower fatmilk,
yogurt andmilkalternatives,”CDA
and its fellowhealthorganizations
explained ina joint letter toMinis-
terAmbrose.
“CDA recognizes the impactof
poornutritiononbothoral health
andoverall health,” saysDr.Gary
MacDonald, CDA immediatepast-
president. “That iswhywearecommitted
topartneringwithgovernment andother
healthorganizations, toempower consum-
ers so theycanmakehealthy foodchoices.”
Thegroupofhealthorganizationsalso
suggested that thedefinitionof added
sugarsbeextended to include free sugars,
soconsumersdonot assume thatpackaged
foods sweetenedwith fruit concentrates, for
example, arede factohealthychoices.
The letter suggestedanapproach toMinis-
terAmbrose toaddressboth the issues the
grouppreviously raisedand thegovern-
ment’sconcernsabout compliance, enforce-
ment and trade issues. Thisapproachwas
definedas follows:
• Havinga single line in thenutrition facts
table for sugars,whichwould focuson
thepresenceof added/free sugarsonly.
Thiswouldexemptnaturallyoccurring
“bound sugars”
that canbe found
inpackaged
unsweetened
vegetablesand
fruits (frozenor
canned); unsweetened
milk, yogurt andmilk
alternatives; andunsweetenednutsand
legumes (dryor canned).
• Havingaccompanying%DVdeclaration
for sugarsbasedona referencevalue
that is lowenough topromote limited
consumptionof free sugars—soCanadi-
andon’t limit their vegetable intake for
fearof exceeding the suggestedvalue,
for example. Thisvalue shouldbe in line
with theWorldHealthOrganization’s
targetof amaximumof 10%dailyenergy
intake fromadded/free sugars.
• Restricting theuseof the “no sugar add-
ed” claim. Thisclaimcould still beused
forhealthy foods that areexempted from
declaring sugars (i.e., unsweetened foods
withnaturallyoccurring “bound sugars”).
• Opting for amore intuitive reportingof
sugarson the ingredient listwhichcap-
turesadded/free sugars, asproposedby
HealthCanada. Thehealthdepartment
has suggested that all sugarsbegrouped
under thecommonname “sugars” and
then listed inparenthesis, explaining that
“thisapproachwouldgiveconsumers
an ideaofhowmuchadded sugar there
is in their foodcompared to theother
ingredients.”
a
CDAAdds its Voice toDebate on
Sugars andNutrition Labelling
CDA recently joined
with several other
healthorganizations
inaskingMinisterof
HealthRonaAmbrose
to refine the federal
government’s proposed
updates to food labels
◗
BariatricMedical Institute
◗
CanadianDental Association
◗
CanadianDiabetesAssociation
◗
CanadianMedical Association
◗
CanadianNursesAssociation
◗
Dietitiansof Canada
◗
Heart andStrokeFoundation
◗
Universityof Toronto,
Department ofNutritional
Sciences
Lettersignatories
To learnmoreaboutHealthCanada’s
proposedchanges to food labels, visit
