Sadly, children around the world face both sides of malnutrition, childhood obesity, and food and nutrient inadequacy. In Canada, more than 30 per cent of children and youth are overweight or obese. The strain this puts on our health care system is immense, with annual associated costs exceeding $7 billion. At the same time, food insecurity affects eight per cent of Canadian households, afflicting over one million Canadian children.
To solve these challenges, we need comprehensive, society-wide solutions. Throughout my career, I have helped build numerous partnerships – I know how powerful they can be in achieving a common goal. I believe that a multidisciplinary approach focusing on children’s health, not children’s disease, and bringing together not only our Centre's scientists and doctors, but also government agencies, the private sector, and others will provide meaningful solutions both locally and globally.
The researchers in our Centre, together with our partners across disciplines and sectors, are working hard to answer the key questions in childhood nutrition and health that continue to elude us. These answers will help to inform public policy, support better food production and processing, and improve public awareness and engagement.
Together, we can find solutions to the pressing challenges in childhood nutrition and health. Better nutrition leads to better and fuller lives for children and families in Canada and around the world.
I want to thank the Lawson family, the Faculty of Medicine leadership, the departments of Nutritional Sciences, Paediatrics, and Family & Community Medicine, and many others for their support and commitment to making our vision a reality. I invite you to join us and explore the Centre’s website to learn more about our work.