Entries by jon valade

Niños Sanos: Restricting Marketing to Children in Mexico

On June 29, Canada will welcome American President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for the Three Amigos Summit. This presents an opportunity to explore public policy enacted by our neighbours. Faced with the growing rates of chronic diseases, and concerned with an already overburdened public health care system, the Mexican government has […]

Why now? Time to stop marketing to kids in Canada

You may be asking yourself why stop marketing to kids and why now? Momentum has been building. Health organizations met in November 2014 to discuss the latest evidence around food and beverage marketing to children and developed the framework for what would become the Ottawa Principles. Since that meeting, 30 organizations across Canada have endorsed the […]

Toronto looking to ban ‘unhealthy’ food ads aimed at kids

Metro On April 25, 2016, the board of health voted to seek support from the federal government to ban commercial advertising to children aged 16 and under. The vote follows a report from the city of Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, that noted recommendations to protect children 16 and younger from being exposed to unhealthy […]

Follow Quebec’s lead in stemming rising obesity rates: Senate report

iPolitics A new Senate committee report warns the country is losing the fight against climbing obesity rates. The Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology released its report Tuesday, called Obesity in Canada: a whole of society approach for a healthier Canada, which called on the government to launch a national campaign to combat obesity, […]

June 2015 – Sugary Drinks

Sugary Drinks and Marketing to Children and Teens Sugary drinks are calorically dense, and promote calorie intake and excess weight gain leading to obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. In Canada, a 2007 report noted that 17% of pre-schoolers in Quebec consumed sugary drinks. Twenty percent of male teens drink sugary drinks daily. […]

June 2015 – Food Dyes, Children’s Behaviour, and Implementations for Policy

Evidence linking food dyes to adverse behaviour in children continues to grow: ŸThree separate meta analyses provide evidence that link food dyes to adverse behaviour in sensitive children When it comes to ADHD, food dyes are likely part of a larger story. There is a small, but real effect on ADHD and other food additives […]