Policy directions to promote healthy dietary patterns in CanadaThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in the CSCN–CSNS 2009 Conference, entitled Are dietary patterns the best way to make nutrition recommendations for chronic disease prevention?

The effective promotion of healthy dietary patterns rests on a supportive policy environment. Given the vast, ever-expanding selection of foods in Canadian supermarkets and the proliferation of nutrition-related food marketing, more effective communication tools are needed to help consumers understand food selections within the context of a total diet. In addition, policy actions at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels are needed to lift economic and geographic barriers to food access for specific population subgroups.