Canadians are consuming more protein, but still not quite enough: report
Food in Canada
Food In Canada Food Trends Products Meat &Poultry Canadian Meat Council proteinProtein consumption is up overall, but Canadians should add more to their diets to help reduce loss of muscle as we age
Assortment of raw meats Ottawa – A report has found that Canadian consumers are getting more of their calories from protein than they did 10 years ago.
The finding comes from the latest Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) report, a summary of which can be found on the Canadian Meat Council’s website.
The report also found that Canadian adults are consuming slightly more fat and slightly less carbohydrates.
The statement says the report found that children and teenagers’ intake of protein has increased one per cent “from 14.6 per cent in 2004 to 15.6 per cent in 2015.” For adults “it edged up from 16.5 per cent to 17 per cent.”
According to the statement, the percentages are still “at the lower end of the acceptable range of 10 to 35 per cent of calories set by the Institute of Medicine.”
Dr. David Ma, PhD in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, says in the statement his research has found that “consuming even more than the recommended amount of high-quality protein, from nutrient-rich sources such as pork, beef, lamb, dairy products and eggs throughout the day, combined with regular exercise, helps to prevent the loss of muscle tissue as we age.”
In the statement, Mary Ann Binnie of the International Meat Secretariat Nutrition Committee and a Canadian Meat Council spokesperson explains that “research shows that diets with increased protein and reduced carbohydrates may help prevent type 2 diabetes by facilitating weight loss through increased satiety, increased thermogenesis and muscle retention.”
Binnie adds that”this is especially important given the number of Canadians diagnozed with diabetes has tripled in the past 20 years.”
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