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- A major hurdle for many, is the cost associated with healthy eating
- Unfortunately, many families are unable to afford buying fresh produce, whole grains, proteins, and dairy products on a regular basis
- Furthermore, different cultures have varying perspectives on 'healthy eating' and what constitutes a 'balanced meal'

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Kirk, S.F., Kuhle, S., Ohinmaa, A., and Veugelers, P.J. (2012). Health behaviours and health- care utilization in Canadian schoolchildren. Public Health Nutrition, 16(2), 358-364. doi:10.1017/S1368980012002728

McMartin, S.E., Kuhle, S., Colman, I., Kirk, S.F., and Veugelers, P.J. (2012). Diet quality and mental health in subsequent years among Canadian youth. Public Health Nutrition,15 (12), 2253-2258. doi: 10.1017/S1368980012000535

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2015). The Ontario curriculum, grades 1-8: Health & Physical Education 2015. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer of Ontario.

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Bring in the weekly flyers from a local grocery store

Providing the class with a budget, ask each student to plan a meal for their family (with a handout to organize their work), ensuring that they buy something from each of the food groups, and guiding them to make healthy choices

This activity not only reinforces the importance and components of healthy eating, but also serves as a lesson in financial literacy in an engaging and applicable/practical manner.

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A look into what the future could look like for an obese child...

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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life

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- Be a role model; bring a healthy lunch/snacks and eat with your students (when possible)
- Initiate a breakfast program at your school
- Share resources with families (i.e. Canada's
Food Guide)
- Be creative with healthy eating lessons
- Go on a field trip to a local grocery store - allowing students to experience shopping for groceries
- Provide a variety of examples of healthy foods from many different cultures

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Childhood obesity and overweight rates are higher than ever, and are steadily increasing.
These children are at a increased risk of developing co-morbidities such as Type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

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- Healthy eating habits are associated with lower health-care utilization/costs
- A diet high in processed foods can lead to greater odds of depression
- Variety in diet may reduce the risk of developing internalizing disorders

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Examples of Specific Curriculum Connections: 

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Examples of Specific Curriculum Connections: 

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Grade 1 (C2.1): Describe how the food groups in Canada's Food Guide provides information that can help you make healthy food choices.

Grade 3 (C3.1): Explain how local fresh foods and foods from different cultures can be used to expand their range of healthy eating choices.

Grade 6 (C2.1): Apply their knowledge of medical, emotional, practical and societal factors that influencing habits and food choices to develop personal guidelines for healthier eating.

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Strand C: Healthy Living
- This strand is overarching across all elementary grades 1-8 in Ontario.

The 3 overall expectations for this strand include:

C1: Understanding Health Concepts

C2: Making Healthy Choices

C3: Making Connections for Healthy Living

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A kid-friendly introduction to healthy eating:

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Healthy Eating: An introduction for children aged 5-11

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A main goal of Ontario's Health and Physical Education curriculum is for students to develop "an understanding of the factors that contribute to healthy development, a sense of personal responsibility for lifelong health, and an understanding of how living healthy, active lives is connected with the world around them and the health of others."

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Healthy Eating in the Elementary Years: Implications of a Poor Diet

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Healthy Eating in the Elementary Years: Implications of a Poor Diet