By Valerie Johnson, MHSc, RD
Household food insecurity is at an all-time high based on analysis of the latest Statistics Canada data by University of Toronto researchers. In 2022, nearly one in five households (17.8%) across the 10 provinces reported that they experienced some degree of food insecurity in the previous year. Households with children are at even higher risk – with one in four children under the age of 18 living in a food-insecure household.

According to an earlier report by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2020, up to 1 in 5 young people (in grades 6 to 10) said they went to school or bed hungry at least sometimes, because there wasn’t enough food at home. Not having enough nutritious food to eat puts growing children and teens at serious risk. This can adversely affect their growth and development, leaving an indelible mark on their life-long health and well-being. Going to school hungry also makes it much harder for children to concentrate and learn.
Many kids aren’t getting the nutrition they need
In 2023, a report from the Food and Nutrition Security for Manitoba Youth Study (FANS Study 2023) found many students did not meet recommendations from Canada’s Food Guide. A high percentage failed to eat sufficient foods from each of four key food groups:
- 94% did not eat enough vegetables and fruit.
- 74% did not eat enough milk and alternatives.
- 57% did not eat enough meat and alternatives.
- 42% did not eat enough grain products.
Instead, the FANS study found that students ate three to five daily servings of ‘other’ foods, outside of the four food groups. Including highly processed foods, such as salty snacks, sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks, and fast foods. In 2020, Statistics Canada analysis showed over 50% of the calories children and teens consume come from ultra-processed foods.
Based on the Healthy Eating Index, the FANS study concluded most students need better diet quality. Only two percent of students had diets classified as good, 28% ate diets that were considered poor, and 70% needed improvement. Many students also had inadequate intakes of key essential nutrients, including iron, zinc, calcium, folate, vitamin D and fibre.
An earlier Health Canada review also concluded “the majority of adolescents consumed lower than the recommended intakes of vegetables and fruit, milk and alternatives as well as meat and alternatives.” For example, among 14 to 18-year-olds, 68% of girls ate less than 2 servings of meat and alternatives, and 55% of boys ate less than 3 servings of meat and alternatives. In fact, teenage girls had inadequate intakes for most nutrients studied.
Childhood food insecurity is linked with lower protein
University of Toronto researchers have also investigated the relationship between the severity of household food insecurity and diet quality in Canada. In children 9 to 18 years, they found severe household food insecurity is linked with lower protein intakes. In other words, children from severely food insecure households derived a smaller percentage of daily energy from protein. In youth from severely food insecure households, only 13.8% of energy came from protein, compared to 16% for youth in food secure households.
While school food policy and programs often focus on boosting vegetables and fruit, this research suggests that children living with food insecurity can also benefit from increased access to protein-rich foods. Protein plays a fundamental role in building muscle and bone.
Foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk products provide complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids (building blocks) children need for healthy growth and development. While plant foods like legumes, nuts and seeds also provide some protein, they tend to be lower in one or more essential amino acids and are generally considered incomplete.
Iron is also a nutrient of concern for children in Canada
Canadian research also indicates that children living in food insecure households tend to have diets that are low in iron. Analysis published by Health Canada in 2023 suggests that iron deficiency may affect more Canadians that previously thought. Their estimates show up to 27% of all teenage girls 14-18 years may be affected. Since iron deficiency is known to impair learning and decrease productivity in school-age children, this is a real concern.
The Canadian Paediatric Society highlights that, “iron deficiency can cause delayed cognitive and physical development, poor acquisition of learning and language skills, and increases the risk of infection in children and adolescents”. According to the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, limited access to food increases the risk of iron deficiency; and consumption of foods with low iron bioavailability is likely the primary factor contributing to the development of iron deficiency anemia in children.
The heme iron found in red meat, poultry, and fish is in a form that is more bioavailable, meaning that more is absorbed than the non-heme iron in plant protein foods, including legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils. Eating meat, poultry, or fish with a meal also helps to enhance non-heme iron absorption, as does vitamin C from vegetables and fruit.
Meat plays a unique role in helping to fill nutrient gaps
Red meats provide a unique package of essential nutrients, with complete protein, bioavailable iron and zinc, as well as vitamin B12 among others. A study in American teens found that those who ate beef were more likely to have adequate intakes of iron, zinc, and several B vitamins and other nutrients, compared to those who did not eat beef.
A 2023 report on the nutritional value of animal source foods including meat, milk, and eggs from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations notes that eating beef has been shown to improve cognitive outcomes in school-age children and teens.
A healthy balance of nutrient-rich foods matters
Children need a healthy balance of nutrient-rich foods, including vegetables and fruit, protein foods like meat and milk products, as well as whole grains. Unfortunately, many children in Canada don’t get enough of the nutritious foods their bodies and brains need, foods that supply key nutrients and energy to fuel their healthy growth and development. National policies to ensure children have access to sufficient nutritious food are needed.