Revision of Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
Infant feeding guidelines in the document "Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants" are under revision. Learn more about the revision process.
On this page
- About Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
- The process to revise Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
- Engagement and consultation
- Stay informed
About Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
Infant feeding guidelines are contained in a 2-part document called Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants. This document provides evidence-informed recommendations for feeding infants, designed for use by health professionals in Canada.
These guidelines are joint statements developed by:
- Health Canada
- Dietitians of Canada
- the Canadian Paediatric Society
- the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada
Provinces, territories and health organizations can use them as the basis for developing practical feeding guidelines for parents and caregivers in Canada.
Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants is presented in 2 parts:
- Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Birth to Six Months.
- Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Six to 24 Months.
The process to revise Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants
Health Canada has started a review of the guidelines contained in Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants. The decision to revise these guidelines is based on several factors including the need to ensure these recommendations remain:
- useful
- current
- relevant
The evidence review cycle (ERC) for dietary guidance is Health Canada's decision-making framework and systematic process to gather, assess, synthesize and identify actions relevant to dietary guidance. It brings together evidence from 3 key input areas:
- scientific basis
- Canadian context
- use of dietary guidance
In 2015, Health Canada applied the ERC to review evidence for dietary guidance for those 2 years of age and older, which informed the 2019 Canada's food guide. Health Canada's Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (ONPP) is now applying the ERC to review evidence for infant and young child nutrition from birth to 2 years of age.
We are conducting the revision in 2 parts:
- Phase 1 will focus on revising Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants (0 - 6 months).
- Phase 1 work is underway and expected to be completed in 2025.
- Phase 2 will focus on revising Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants (6 – 24 months).
- Phase 2 will begin following the completion of Phase 1.
A joint working group is guiding the revision of the infant feeding guidelines. The joint working group includes representatives from:
- Health Canada
- Dietitians of Canada
- Indigenous Services Canada
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- the Canadian Paediatric Society
- the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada
Health Canada developed terms of reference for the joint working group to guide this work.
During the revision of the Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants guidelines, existing infant feeding guidelines remain current and should be used until updated guidelines are available.
Engagement and consultation
At key points during the process to revise the Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants guidelines, Health Canada will engage with interested stakeholders and partners, including health professionals. Health Canada will undertake both:
- an open stakeholder consultation to elicit input from all those interested in providing feedback
- targeted engagement with health professionals to ensure that the guidance is relevant and useful
Stay informed
To stay informed about the revision process, please register for the Consultation and Stakeholder Information Management System. Under the "areas of interest" page, select "Population Health." You will automatically be notified when updates on the revision process become available.
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