Jeong Hayun, Mulligan Christine, Khan Ayesha, Vergeer Laura, L'Abbe Mary R
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
Nutrients. 2025 May 28;17(11):1828. doi: 10.3390/nu17111828.
Despite evidence on the association between marketing unhealthy foods to children (M2K) and negative health outcomes, M2K remains widespread in Canada. To support mandatory restrictions, Health Canada has prioritized a monitoring strategy to assess the current state of M2K, identify gaps, and establish a baseline for future policy evaluation. This study aimed to support this initiative by updating the University of Toronto (UofT) Food Classification List and evaluating the proportion of foods and beverages in the Canadian grocery and restaurant food supply that would be permitted or restricted from M2K under Health Canada's proposed nutrient profile model. Grocery items from the UofT Food Label Information Price 2020 ( = 24,949) and restaurant menu items from Menu-Food Label Information Price 2020 ( = 14,286) databases were evaluated using Health Canada's M2K nutrient profile model, which assesses foods solely based on thresholds for added sodium, sugars, and saturated fat. The proportion of items permitted for or restricted from M2K was determined overall and by food and menu categories for grocery and restaurant items, respectively. The updated UofT List contained = 24,494 grocery items and = 14,286 menu items. Overall, 83% ( = 32,664/39,235) of foods and beverages in the 2020 Canadian food supply would be restricted from M2K. Among grocery items, 23% ( = 5630) would be permitted and 77% ( = 19,202) would be restricted from M2K. Among restaurant items, only 6% ( = 837) would be permitted and 94% ( = 13,442) restricted. The updated UofT List supports Health Canada's monitoring strategy and highlights the large proportion of unhealthy products in the Canadian food supply that are currently still permitted for M2K. While Health Canada's M2K nutrient profile model is stringent, gaps remain that could allow continued M2K exposure under the current proposed policy. Ongoing monitoring and policy refinement are essential to effectively protect children from M2K and its harmful effects.
尽管有证据表明向儿童营销不健康食品（M2K）与负面健康结果之间存在关联，但M2K在加拿大仍然普遍存在。为支持强制性限制措施，加拿大卫生部已将一项监测战略列为优先事项，以评估M2K的当前状况、找出差距并为未来的政策评估建立基线。本研究旨在通过更新多伦多大学（UofT）食品分类清单，并评估根据加拿大卫生部提议的营养成分模型，加拿大杂货店和餐厅食品供应中允许或限制进行M2K营销的食品和饮料比例，来支持这一举措。使用加拿大卫生部的M2K营养成分模型对UofT食品标签信息价格2020数据库（n = 24,949）中的杂货店商品以及菜单 - 食品标签信息价格2020数据库（n = 14,286）中的餐厅菜单项进行评估，该模型仅根据添加钠、糖和饱和脂肪的阈值来评估食品。分别按总体以及按杂货店和餐厅商品的食品和菜单类别确定允许或限制进行M2K营销的商品比例。更新后的UofT清单包含24,494项杂货店商品和14,286项菜单项。总体而言，2020年加拿大食品供应中83%（n = 32,664/39,235）的食品和饮料将被限制进行M2K营销。在杂货店商品中，23%（n = 5630）将被允许，77%（n = 19,202）将被限制进行M2K营销。在餐厅菜单项中，只有6%（n = 837）将被允许，94%（n = 13,442）将被限制。更新后的UofT清单支持加拿大卫生部的监测战略，并凸显了加拿大食品供应中目前仍被允许进行M2K营销的大量不健康产品。虽然加拿大卫生部的M2K营养成分模型很严格，但仍存在差距，这可能使儿童在当前提议的政策下继续接触M2K营销。持续的监测和政策完善对于有效保护儿童免受M2K及其有害影响至关重要。
