This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document.
Snapshot 441446617d62 · verified 2026-06-05 ·
original document ·
archived snapshot ·
unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.
COUNCIL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SECTION-H
SUBJECT:
Healthy Eating
NUMBER:
H-23
APPROVAL DATE: April 9, 2014
BACKGROUND
In January of 2013 the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) in partnership with
Public Health Services of GASHA applied for a Thrive grant from the provincial Department of
Health and Wellness to develop and implement a healthy eating policy. The application for the
grant was successful and since the project's inception community consultations have been held
in the municipality on the topic of healthy eating. In February of 2013 the Occupational Health
and Safety committee offered to act as a healthy eating advisory committee for the policy's
development and implementation.
The development of a healthy eating policy for the municipality and in sports and recreation
settings is happening in conjunction with provincial work in this area. Christina Connolly is a
member of a provincial working group and the goal is to develop healthy eating guidelines for
sports and recreation settings across the province. Other jurisdictions in Nova Scotia have also
adopted healthy eating policies. The Department of Health and Wellness is hosting consultations
across the province with regards to healthy eating in sports and recreation settings in January and
February 2014.
RATIONALE
Nutrition and healthy eating strongly compliment the general goal of the MODG to improve the
quality of life and health of all citizens. This policy will allow for consistent messaging. For
example, while encouraging increased physical activity in recreation programs we will also
promote healthy eating by providing healthy snacks.
This policy will help to fight against increasing rates of diet related issues such as Type 2
diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity across Nova Scotia but especially in Guysborough
County as documented in the 2010 Understanding Our Health Data conducted by the
Guysborough County Community Health Board.
Impacts future generations as children and youth in our area are offered more healthy food
choices. This is needed given recent CLASS data (2011) from Chedabucto Place showed that
only 12% of students consumed at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, only 18% of
students consumed at least 6 servings of grain products per day and 71% of students reported
having two or more servings of non-nutritious foods or drinks per day
-Supports the momentum that is building around healthy eating across Canada and Nova Scotia.
Research in other recreation settings across the country has been completed and supports this
policy.
-Demonstrates leadership and role modeling by municipal units.
-Supports and promotes athletic performance.
-Complements the School Food and Nutrition Policy for Nova Scotia Public Schools.
-Creates environments that are supportive of healthy eating where people in the MODG will
have more options to choose healthy foods.
DEFINITION OF HEALTHY EATING
Healthy Eating refers to patterns of eating that, over time, meet individuals' energy and nutrient
needs,
and that promote health and minimize the risk of nutrition related condition and diseases.
Canada's
Food Guide to Healthy Eating is the basis for this pattern of eating and includes food and
beverages from each of the four food groups, making choices that provide maximum nutritional
value most often.
VISION
All districts within the MODG are demonstrating leadership so that all citizens have access to
and enjoy healthy foods in all recreation and municipal settings resulting in healthier
communities.
POLICY STATEMENT
It is the policy of the Municipality of the District of Guysborough to actively encourage and
promote recreation and municipal environments that support accessibility and consumption of
food and beverages consistent with healthy eating, thereby making the healthy choice, the easy
choice.
GOALS
To improve healthy eating in recreation and municipal settings by:
Increasing healthy food choices/availability in the MODG
Increasing awareness of residents/policy stakeholders of the importance of healthy eating
Improving the visibility, availability and placement of healthy food options
SCOPE
This policy applies to the food and beverages served and sold in the following:
-all municipal owned and operated recreation facilities and places
-all recreation programs and municipal events, meetings, special events, fundraisers and sales
-all municipal workplace wellness programs
-all canteens, contracts and vending machines located on municipal properties
This does not apply to food and beverages brought in for meals and snacks by the employees.
This does not apply to organizations or individuals who rent space / rooms for special events
however, they will be encouraged to follow the policy and offer more healthy food options.
Organizations which the Municipality provides financial support will be encouraged to follow
the
Policy.
This does not apply to alcohol. In other words alcohol is not included in the scope of this policy.
This does not apply to coffee and tea.
POLICY GUIDELINES AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
Food and beverages served in recreation and municipal settings will be categorized based on the
Food
and Beverage Standards from the Nova Scotia Food and Nutrition Policy for Public Schools.
The Food and Beverage Standards categorizes foods in the following way:
Maximum Nutrition: Food and beverages that are part of the four food groups of Canada's
Food Guide to Healthy Eating. These items are high in essential nutrients for healthy
development, growth, learning, performance and enjoyment (e.g., vitamins, minerals, protein,
carbohydrate, essential fatty acids, fibre, and water) and are low in salt, sugar, sweeteners, and
saturated and trans fats. They have undergone little or no processing (e.g. Whole grain breads
and cereals, fruits and vegetables, vegetarian pizza made with low fat cheese on whole wheat
crust, 100% fruit juice).
Moderate Nutrition: Food and beverages that are part of the four food groups of Canada's
Food Guide to Healthy Eating. These items contain essential nutrients for growth, learning, and
health (e.g.,
vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrate, essential fatty acids, fibre, and water), but are
somewhat
lower in fibre and higher in fat, salt, sugar, sweeteners, and/or processing (e.g. white breads,
apple
crisp, vegetarian pizza with regular fat cheese on white crust, oven baked French Fries).
Minimum Nutrition: These food and beverages may or may not be from the four food groups of
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. They offer minimal nutritional value; are very high in
sugar, fat, salt, caffeine, sweeteners, and/or processing; and tend to replace nutritious foods when
available as
meals and snacks ( e.g. Pepperoni pizza made with regular cheese and white crust, deep fried
French
Fries, potato chips, pop, sports drinks).
The Nova Scotia Food and Nutrition Policy for Public Schools has been in place since 2006 in
Nova Scotia and is now familiar to the majority of children, youth and their parents in our
communities.
The
Food
and
Beverage
Standards
are
available
at http://www.ednet.ns.ca/healthy_eating/.
Year 1- 2014
-Food provided in all recreation and municipal settings will be comprised of 50% maximum,
30% moderate and 20% minimum.
Year 2- 2015
-Food provided in all recreation and municipal settings will be comprised of 60% maximum,
20% moderate and 20% minimum.
Year 3- 2016
-Food provided in all recreation and municipal settings will be comprised of 70% maximum,
20% moderate and 10% minimum.
-Evaluation of the policy will occur by reviewing successes and lessons learned at regular
occupational health and safety meetings/wellness committee and from feedback from council
and employees.
PORTION SIZES
It is important that the portion sizes offered reflect and support healthy eating behaviours and
sustainability (i.e. ordering more food than required). Appropriate portions of food and
beverages will be provided in all recreation and municipal settings.
SUPPORTING LOCAL FOOD AND BUSINESS
Nova Scotia produces an abundance of produce and products. Buying food that is grown and
produced within the province supports Nova Scotia agriculture and business and means that
more money remains in the community. When possible, municipal and recreation settings
serve local, seasonal food and beverages that are harvested, produced or manufactured in Nova
Scotia.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Municipal recreation programs and facilities are encouraged to continue, as well as find new
ways, to reduce consumer and food waste and to support recycling and composting options.
FOOD SAFETY
All food served within recreation programs and municipal settings will be prepared according to
Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Standards.
See
guidelines
at:
http://www.novascotia.ca/agri/programs-and-services/food-
protection/factsheets-publications/
BEVERAGES
This policy will follow Health Canada's recommendation that energy drinks (not to be confused
with sports drinks such as Powerade or Gatorade) not be consumed by children. Therefore
energy drinks will not be served or sold within recreation and municipal settings.
Sports Drinks are categorized as providing minimum nutrition and could be present in minimum
quantities depending on the event or program. (e.g. sports drinks would have to be 10% or less
of the choices offered)