Hastings Prince Edward Public Health is eager to partner with local health care providers to promote healthy eating.
Recommendations and Resources
Nutrition Guides and Directories
HPEPH recommends the use of Canada’s Food Guide to guide food choices and eating habits to help Canadians improve their health, meet nutrient needs, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
For infants and children, we recommend use of the 2019 Pediatric Nutrition Guidelines (Birth to Six Years), which have been developed by the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health. This ODPH document provides evidence-based nutrition guidelines and red flags for healthy, full-term infants and children up to six years of age for health professionals.
The Nutrition Directory is a comprehensive source of reliable and credible nutrition programs and services available to residents of Hastings and Prince Edward counties. A listing of services provided by local registered dietitians is available, as well as information about other agencies/professionals dealing with nutrition-related medical concerns such as diabetes and eating disorders.
The Food Access Guide provides information about free or low-cost food and meal programs and services in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. It is divided into six different sections based on geographic area and provides information about local community gardens, food banks, food box programs, and more.
Food Literacy Classes
Public Health offers several food literacy classes as well as train-the-trainer workshops for those who are interested in offering their own food literacy program or cooking class. Our Food Skills Classes page offers an overview of all available classes, or you can search for classes in our events calendar.
Supporting Healthy Behaviours
The emphasis on obesity in health care today often leads to a strong focus on body weight. Many factors, including genetics, age, and income, can affect a person’s body size and the choices available to them. It is important for children and adults to learn that their personal worth is not related to their body size.
Words and actions intended to help clients improve their health can cause unintended harm, resulting in lowered self-esteem and negative body image. People who feel good about themselves and their bodies are more likely to adopt lifestyle behaviours that lead to improved health and reduce the risk of chronic disease, independent of weight status. We encourage health professionals and the community to suspend any negative biases or judgments associated with weight and to focus on promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours instead.
