title: Public health strategies promoting physical activity and healthy eating in Canada: are we changing paradigms?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the extent to which Canadian public health organizations incorporated the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion action areas in promoting physical activity and healthy eating in 2004 and 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were available from repeat censuses of all regional, provincial, and national organizations with mandates to promote physical activity [n = 134 (2004); n = 118 (2010)] or healthy eating [n = 137 (2004); n = 130 (2010)]. Eleven strategies to promote these behaviors were grouped according to the five action areas. Descriptive analyses were conducted to document the level of involvement in each action area over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of organizations promoting physical activity and "heavily involved" in creating supportive environments increased from 51 % (2004) to 70 % (2010). The proportion also increased for reorienting health services (29 % to 39 %). The proportion of organizations promoting healthy eating and "heavily involved" in building healthy public policy increased from 47 to 53 %. Individual skill building remained stable for physical activity but declined for healthy eating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While developing personal skills remains important in promoting physical activity and healthy eating in Canada, public health organizations increased involvement in structural-level strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maximova
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada. nancy.hanusaik@mail.mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanusaik
authors.affiliation: Program Evaluation and Beyond Inc., Montréal, QC, Canada.|Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kishchuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.|Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paradis
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.|Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.|Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: O'Loughlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic disease prevention; Health promotion; Healthy eating; Ottawa Charter; Physical activity; Public health