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Seniors BC

Healthy Eating

Promoting Healthy Eating

HealthLink BC’s Dietitian Services
Registered dietitians are available to provide food and nutrition information and advice by phone in 130 languages. Registered dietitians can provide consultation in the areas of human nutrition, clinical nutrition, food safety, food science and food and nutrition in general, and make referrals to hospital outpatient dietitians and community nutritionists as required. Call to speak to a registered dietitian through HealthLink BC by dialing 8-1-1 or visit the website.

Healthy eating is critical for older people to remain independent, maintain their quality of life, and reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory diseases and some cancers. 

By making healthy food choices, older people can maintain and even improve their health. Having sufficient energy and meeting the body’s needs for essential nutrients can help older people remain active. This can help to prevent or slow the progression of the most common chronic diseases and conditions.

The British Columbia Nutrition Survey found that most seniors would benefit from eating more vegetables and fruits, more protein, less fat and salt, and from engaging in moderate activity more frequently. As well, older people often need specialized diets to counterbalance age-related physiological changes. Having the ability to access adequate and nutritious food is necessary for healthy eating. Older people are more vulnerable than the younger population in British Columbia when it comes to accessing adequate nutritious food.

Healthy Eating Tools and Resources

Healthy Eating for Seniors

  • Healthy Eating for Seniors provides information on many topics including:  supplements, tips on how to eat to prevent or manage common chronic diseases, simple ways to eat with less salt and fat, how to read labels and how to keep a healthy body weight. The handbook is free to British Columbians. The Healthy Eating for Seniors handbook has been culturally adapted and translated into Chinese, Punjabi and French.
  • To order a free copy of Healthy Eating for Seniors in English, Chinese or French, please call 8-1-1.
  • The Healthy Eating for Seniors audio book is available in DAISY and MP3 format at all public libraries in B.C. The MP3 format is also available online for listeners to download on their own personal devices at no charge.
  • Vignettes (short videos) inspiring people towards healthy eating and healthy activity can also be viewed online.