Fruit and vegetable consumption/healthy eating environments

The definition of the fruit and vegetable consumption component of this indicator is as follows:

Proportion of the population reporting consumption of fruit and vegetables in a specified time period.

Definitions representing healthy food environments are currently in development and will be added at a later date.

Fruit and vegetable consumption

This indicator is measured in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Survey respondents are asked:

In the past 30 days, how many times did you eat the following fruits and vegetables?

In responding to this question, respondents denote the frequency per day, per week, or per month at which they consumed:

• 100% pure fruit juice,
• fruits,
• dark green vegetables,
• orange-coloured vegetables,
• starchy vegetables, and
• other vegetables

This includes frozen or canned fruits and vegetables and dried fruit but excludes fried potatoes.

This information is used to derive the usual number of times (frequency) a person reported consuming fruits and vegetables within a specific time period. This measure does not take into account the amount consumed.

Healthy food environments

Definitions and datasets representing healthy food environments will be added at a later date.

Fruit and vegetable consumption

• Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
  • Table 13-10-0096-01 – Health characteristics, annual estimates
  • Table 13-10-0096-12 – Fruit and vegetable consumption, 5 times or more per day, by age group

Fruit and vegetable consumption

• Health of Canadians – Health behaviours and substance use (Health of Canadians, September 13, 2023)
• A few reasons why some Canadian teens might not be getting enough fruits and vegetables (StatsCAN Plus, October 16, 2023)
• Change in vegetable and fruit consumption in Canada between 2004 and 2015 (Health Reports, June 24, 2020)
• Fruit and vegetable consumption, 2017 (Health Info Sheets, April 30, 2019)

From 2003 to 2014, the CCHS used a different set of questions to measure fruit and vegetable consumption. A series of six questions was adapted from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, which captured the number of times (frequency) respondents consumed fruits and vegetables per day, week, month or year.

The total frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption per day was derived by combining the frequency of intake of the following foods and drinks, whether consumed at meals or as snacks, at home or away: 1) 100% pure fruit juice such as orange, grapefruit or tomato; 2) fruit, not including juice; 3) green salad; 4) potatoes, not including french fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips; 5) carrots; and 6) other vegetables. The frequency of consuming "other vegetables" was collected by asking the respondent how many "servings" they consumed.

Table 13-10-0451-01 – Health indicators, annual estimates, 2003 - 2014