Canada faces rising health risks from ultra-processed food. Experts say affordability, housing, and food literacy must improve to help Canadians choose healthier options.
Canadians Struggle to Cut Ultra-Processed Food Intake
Evidence Mounts
A wave of new research published this week in The Lancet links ultra-processed foods to rising rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The findings reinforce warnings from global health experts who say Canadians must urgently reduce their consumption—but current eating patterns show the opposite.
Why Intake Remains High
Although the risks are clearer than ever, ultra-processed foods remain deeply embedded in Canadian diets. Cost is a major factor: a U.S. study in Frontiers in Nutrition found these foods average about 55 cents per 100 calories, while unprocessed alternatives cost nearly three times as much. Convenience and long shelf life also make processed foods appealing for people juggling time constraints or lacking kitchen space.
Where Convenience Shapes Choices
A Statistics Canada analysis suggests Canadians eat the most ultra-processed foods during breakfast—often the busiest time of day. Ready-to-eat items dominate morning routines, reflecting how limited time can push households toward quick, prepackaged options instead of fresh ingredients.
Realities on the Ground
At the Parkdale Community Food Bank in Toronto, executive director Kitty Raman Costa sees these barriers daily. While the food bank distributes fresh produce, she says many clients rely on ultra-processed items because they lack the tools, space or health capacity to prepare meals. Those living with disabilities or without stable housing often have no access to proper refrigeration or kitchen facilities, making fresh food difficult to store or prepare safely.
How Housing Affects Food Choices
Advocates say the solution isn’t only about food—it’s also about housing. Access to safe kitchens, refrigeration and adequate cooking space is essential for enabling healthier choices. Without these basics, many Canadians remain dependent on packaged foods that require little more than a microwave or no preparation at all.
Building Skills for Change
Another challenge is food literacy. Raman Costa notes that clients sometimes hesitate to take unfamiliar produce because they don’t know how to cook it. To bridge this gap, the food bank now offers cooking workshops and a community cookbook featuring simple recipes using common food-bank ingredients.
Nutrition experts agree this approach is crucial. David Ma, professor of human health sciences at the University of Guelph, says low food literacy in Canada directly contributes to high consumption of ultra-processed foods. Improving cooking skills, he argues, is key to shifting long-term habits.
Looking Ahead
Public health researchers say meaningful progress will require structural change—more affordable whole foods, improved housing supports, national investments in food literacy, and school-based policies similar to those in Brazil, where ultra-processed items are restricted in cafeterias. Without coordinated action, Canadians may continue relying on the very foods experts warn are harming long-term health.
