The Sudbury and District Board of Health passed a motion Thursday asking that the provincial government establish a universal preschool nutrition screening program using NutriSTEP.
NutriSTEP (Nutrition Screening Tool for Every Pre-Schooler) is a questionnaire that helps parents and caregivers of children three to five years of age identify nutrition problems.
“Children’s food choices directly affect their growth and development, health behaviours, school readiness and academic performance,” says registered dietitian Lee Rysdale.
“The NutriSTEP screening tool can identify children at risk for nutritional problems early on, saving health care and social service dollars in the future.”
Municipal, provincial and federal governments have already invested more than $500,000 over the past seven years to develop NutriSTEP. The tool has been developed and validated with anglophone, francophone, First Nations and multi-ethnic parents and their preschoolers.
Several other provinces have already indicated plans to incorporate NutriSTEP in their preschool and school readiness initiatives.
The project began in 1998 with nutrition staff at the Sudbury & District Health Unit. It has since grown into a multi-phase project with academic researchers from the University of Guelph and partners from across Canada.
