Curbing Childhood Obesity:
A Federal, Provincial and Territorial
Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights
Presentation by the Healthy Living Project Committee
of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network
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March 22, 2011
Table of Contents
• Childhood obesity in Canada
• F/P/T governments – A collective priority for action
• Framework – Strategies
• Strategy 1 - Our Health Our Future: A National
Dialogue on Healthy Weights
• Desired outcomes of engagement
• Building on existing initiatives
• Conclusion
 Annex A: Framework – Key Concepts
 Annex B: Engagement Approaches
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Childhood Obesity in Canada
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More than 1 in 4 children/youth are overweight or obese
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Trend - between 1978/79 and 2004:
 Combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among those aged 2
to 17 rose from 15% to 26% (8% obese, 18% overweight)
 Greatest increase was among youth aged 12 to 17 (from 14% to
29%)
•
Immediate and long-term health outcomes – e.g. type 2
diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease and hypertension
•
Complex problem:
 Directly/indirectly related to various issues (e.g. built environment,
access to nutritious foods)
 Decreasing the risk of chronic diseases requires broad actions to
support physical activity and healthy eating, including sodiumreduction
 Requires sustained, multi-sectoral, multi-strategy response including
public, private, health professional and non-governmental sectors
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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F/P/T Governments: A Collective
Priority for Action
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Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy endorsed by F/P/T Ministers of
Health (2005) / Strengthened Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy
Framework (2009)
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September 2010 - F/P/T Ministers of Health and/or Health
Promotion/Healthy Living (except Québec*) endorsed:
•

Declaration on Prevention and Promotion (Declaration)

Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial, Territorial Framework for
Action to Promote Healthy Weights (Framework)
February 2011 - F/P/T Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity
and Recreation (SPAR) endorsed:

Declaration and Framework; increasing physical activity and reducing childhood
obesity with a focus on the after-school time period
•
February 2011 - P/T Education Ministers agree to work with F/P/T SPAR
on increasing children and youth physical activity through joint action

It should be noted that although Québec shares the general goals of the Framework for Action, it was
not involved in developing it and does not subscribe to a Canada-wide strategy in this area. Québec
intends to remain solely responsible for developing and implementing programs for promoting healthy
living within its territory. However, Québec does intend to continue exchanging information and
expertise with other governments in Canada.
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Framework – Strategies
Canada’s Ministers of Health agreed to:
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Strategy 1 –
 Make childhood overweight and obesity a collective priority for action
for F/P/T Ministers of Health and/or Health Promotion/Healthy Living;
 Champion the issue;
 Encourage shared leadership and joint and/or complementary action
from government departments and other sectors of Canadian society
• Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy
Weights
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Strategy 2 - Coordinate efforts on three key policy priorities:
 Supportive Environments
 Early Action
 Nutritious Foods
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Strategy 3 - Measure and report on collective progress:
 Continually inform options; track rates and contributing factors;
regular monitoring and reporting
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Framework - Strategies (Cont’d)
Strategy
Examples of Key Issues &
Challenges
Examples of Areas to Explore
1.0. Making childhood
overweight and
obesity a collective
priority for action
• diversity of sectors
• complexity of issue and
perspectives
• how best to mobilize & engage
(e.g. sectors, individuals)
2.1, 2.2. Supportive
environments and
early action
• interaction of physical and social
environments
• developmentally-appropriate
interventions
• built environment
• Baby-friendly hospitals, WHO
Growth Charts
2.3a. Availability and
accessibility of
nutritious foods
• various factors influence
availability and access
• northern and remote
communities, some urban
communities
• social determinants of health
2.3b. Marketing of
foods and beverages
high in fat, sugar
and/or sodium to
children
• marketing is woven throughout a
child’s environment
• wide range of existing definitions
for policy components
• age groups
• amount of exposure to children
• marketing techniques
• vehicles for marketing and
monitoring
• towards defining healthy &
unhealthy foods
3.0. Measuring and
reporting on
collective progress
• varying data sources and
indicators
• how best to measure initiatives
• collecting meaningful/useful data
on process and outcomes
• monitoring tools
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Strategy 1 – ‘Our Health Our Future:
A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights’
Engagement Objectives:
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Inform: inform youth (12 – 18) and multi-sectoral stakeholders
about the issue of childhood obesity and related efforts
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Input: identify and discuss actions that could be implemented
to support the Framework and identify barriers, gaps and
opportunities
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Shared leadership: mobilize participants and encourage
everyone to implement their own strategies for change in
support of the Framework
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Desired Outcomes of Engagement
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Engage stakeholders in a national dialogue addressing the
issue of childhood obesity
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Move towards consensus among stakeholders, including youth
and their parents/caregivers, on the issues and broad directions
for action
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Obtain commitments to action across stakeholder groups
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Identify mechanisms to influence behaviours and
environments
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‘Kick-start’ a longer-term process that will ultimately lead to
attitude and behaviour change on behalf of individuals,
government, organizations and society and a change in social
norms (e.g. tobacco)
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Building on Existing Initiatives
Many joint & complementary initiatives underway such as:
(Examples only)
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Led/supported by Government of Canada:
 Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
 ParticipACTION
 Nutrition North Canada
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Provinces and Territories:
 Baby Friendly Initiative
 Adaptation and implementation of WHO Growth Charts
 School Food Guidelines
 Comprehensive healthy weight initiatives
 Northern Healthy Food Initiative
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Federal, Provincial and Territorial:
 Joint policy statement Intersectoral Action on Children and Youth
Physical Activity
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Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Building on Existing Initiatives
(Cont’d)
(Examples only)
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Non-governmental Organizations/Professionals/Researchers:
 Canadian Partnership Against Cancer / Coalitions Linking Action, Science
for Prevention Initiative (CLASP)
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Children’s Mobility Health and Happiness: A Canadian School Travel Planning
Model
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Collaborative Action on Childhood Obesity
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Youth Excel
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Promoting Health by Changing the Built Environment
 Canadian Obesity Network
 University of Waterloo Propel Centre for Population Health Impact
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Youth: YMCA; Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement
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Aboriginal: Assembly of First Nations - IndigenAction
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Industry: Canadian Produce Marketing Association - Mix It Up Campaign
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Media: CBC - Live Right Now
(Freggie Tales)
10 • Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights
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Conclusion
• A global epidemic / a national crisis
• What could you and/or your organization do to
further address childhood obesity and promote
healthy weights?
• Ourhealthourfuture.ca
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Annex A
Framework - Key Concepts
Jurisdictions/
Sectors
- Endorsed by
Federal, Provincial
and Territorial
governments
(except Quebec)
- Encourages
leadership by other
sectors of society
Strategies (over 10
years)
- Making childhood
obesity a collective
priority for action
- Coordinating
efforts on three key
policy priorities
- Measurement and
reporting
Approaches
Levers (examples)
Populations
- Public health
Health promotion
- Chronic disease
prevention
- Obesity reduction
- Attainment of
healthy weight
- Population health
approach
- Leadership and
coordination
- Policy, legislation
and regulation
- Programs and
services
- Knowledge and
information
- Children (0-18)
and parents
- Vulnerable
populations
- Family
- School
- Communities
Areas of Focus
Healthy weights
Childhood obesity
Physical activity
Healthy eating
Desired Overall
Outcomes
- Reduced childhood
overweight and
obesity
- Reduced health
disparities
- Improved overall
health outcomes
Challenges
Complex and interacting system of contributing factors
Collective action from all sectors of society
Platform
Healthy Weights identified as first priority of the Strengthened Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy Framework (2009)
The Framework is the first tangible action of the Declaration on Prevention and Promotion (2010)
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Annex B
Engagement Approaches
ONLINE: OurHealthOurFuture.gc.ca
Idea Forum
Submissions
Commitments
Choicebooks
Completed Conversation
Guides
Social Media
IN-PERSON EVENTS
FPT Stakeholders
FPT Youth
Industry
Aboriginal
NGO/Professionals/Research
Media
Conversation Guide
SUMMIT
Health
Ministers
Meeting
Nov. 24
and 25,
2011
Cross Sectoral
Engagement activities will roll out over
time from March to the Summit in October
2011.
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