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Table 1 Number of servings per food category presented according to the 2014 Health Canada’s Surveillance Tool (HCST) Tier System nutrient profiling model, among Canadian children 2–18 years

From: Nutritional quality of the food choices of Canadian children

Category

Tier

2–3 Years

4–8 years

9–13 years

9–13 years

14–18 years

14–18 years

Boys

Girls

Boys

Girls

Mean (SEM)

 Vegetables and Fruits

Tier 1

2.9 (0.1)

2.8 (0.1)

2.4 (0.2)

2.6 (0.2)

2.3 (0.2)

2.5 (0.2)

Tier 2

1.1 (0.1)

1.3 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

0.8 (0.1)

Tier 3

0.4 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

0.7 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

Tier 4

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0.1 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Tier 1–3

4.4 (0.2)

4.4 (0.2)

3.9 (0.2)

4.1 (0.2)

4.1 (0.3)

3.8 (0.2)

Total

Tiers 1–4

4.5 (0.2)

4.6 (0.2)

4 (0.2)

4.2 (0.2)

4.2 (0.3)

3.8 (0.2)

EWCFG Rec.

 

4

5

6

6

8

7

Mean (SEM)

 Grain Products

Tier 1

1.2 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

1.3 (0.2)

1.4 (0.1)

1.3 (0.2)

1.2 (0.1)

Tier 2

2.5 (0.1)

3.1 (0.1)

3.5 (0.2)

3 (0.2)

3.7 (0.2)

2.8 (0.1)

Tier 3

0.8 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

0.8 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

Tier 4

0.7 (0.1)

0.9 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

0.6 (0.1)

0.7 (0.1)

Tier 1–3

4.4 (0.2)

5.3 (0.2)

5.8 (0.2)

5.3 (0.2)

5.8 (0.3)

5.1 (0.2)

Total

Tiers 1–4

5.1 (0.2)

6.2 (0.2)

6.8 (0.2)

6.4 (0.2)

6.4 (0.3)

5.7 (0.2)

EWCFG Rec.

 

3

4

6

6

7

6

Mean (SEM)

 Milk and Alternatives

Tier 1

0.2 (0)

0.2 (0)

0.3 (0)

0.3 (0)

0.2 (0)

0.2 (0)

Tier 2

1 (0.1)

0.8 (0)

0.6 (0.1)

0.6 (0.1)

0.6 (0.1)

0.4 (0)

Tier 3

1.7 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

1.1 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

0.9 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

Tier 4

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0 (0)

0.1 (0)

Tier 1–3

2.9 (0.1)

2.2 (0.1)

2.0 (0.1)

2.1 (0.1)

1.7 (0.1)

1.7 (0.1)

Total

Tiers 1–4

3 (0.1)

2.3 (0.1)

2.1 (0.1)

2.1 (0.1)

1.8 (0.1)

1.8 (0.1)

EWCFG Rec.

 

2

2

3–4

3–4

3–4

3–4

Mean (SEM)

 Meat and Alternatives

Tier 1

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0.1 (0)

0 (0)

0.1 (0)

Tier 2

0.4 (0)

0.3 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

0.4 (0.1)

0.6 (0.1)

0.5 (0.1)

Tier 3

0.8 (0.1)

0.9 (0.1)

0.9 (0.1)

0.8 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

Tier 4

0.3 (0.1)

0.3 (0.1)

0.2 (0.1)

0.2 (0.1)

0.2 (0.1)

0.3 (0.1)

Tier 1–3

1.3 (0.1)

1.4 (0.1)

1.4 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

1.8 (0.1)

1.6 (0.1)

Total

Tiers 1–4

1.6 (0.1)

1.6 (0.1)

1.6 (0.1)

1.5 (0.1)

2.1 (0.2)

1.9 (0.1)

EWCFG Rec.

 

1

1

1–2

1–2

3

2

  1. Tiers are classified according to lower and upper thresholds for nutrients of public health concern: sodium, saturated fats, total fats and sugars. Lower thresholds: total fat: ≤ 3 g/RA, sugars: ≤ 6 g/RA and sodium: ≤ 140 mg/RA [8]. Upper thresholds: total fat: > 10 g/RA, sugars: > 19 g/RA, sodium: > 360 mg/RA, and saturated fats: > 2 g/RA [8]. Tier 1 foods do not exceed any lower thresholds for total fat, sugar and sodium. Tier 2 may exceed one or two lower thresholds but no upper thresholds. Tier 3 Vegetable and Fruit, and Grain Products: exceeds all lower thresholds and no upper thresholds, or only one upper threshold. Tier 3 Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives: exceeds all lower thresholds and no upper thresholds, or only one upper threshold for total fat, sugars, or sodium. Tier 4 Vegetable and Fruit, and Grain Products: exceeds two upper thresholds. Tier 4 Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives: exceeds upper thresholds for total fat, sugars, or sodium [8]
  2. Data is presented as mean (SEM: standard error of the mean). Servings per/day are classified according to EWCFG: Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide. Rec: Recommendations
  3. Results are weighted, nationally representative and energy adjusted
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