Health Behaviours

Nutrition and the cost of healthy eating

In December 2017, the Health Unit completed online surveys with students from 13 secondary schools to help understand food purchasing behaviours of local grade 9-12 students, both inside and outside of school, during the school day.
The Healthy School Food Zones visual report highlights the findings from this research and provides opportunities for action for secondary schools, school boards and municipalities. It is available in English and French.

In 2020, two out of three individuals (age-standardized) 12 years or older in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region reported eating vegetables and fruits four or less times a day (70.6%), statistically similar to the Ontario percentage (78.7%).

Last updated: November 21, 2023.

Visit the Public Health Ontario (PHO) Self-Reported Nutrition and Healthy Weights Snapshot page for more detail.

Food skills are those that are necessary in order to plan, purchase for and prepare safe, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable meals. They impact food choice and eating behaviours and contribute to healthy eating. The Environmental Scan of Food Skills Programming in the District of North Bay report highlights the outcomes from research to understand the programs and resources that are being utilized within North Bay to address food skills development in the community.

Stay on Your Feet has created a summary of dietitian support, community food programs, and emergency food services for certain areas in our district as part of a Nutrition Project conducted in 2019.

Each year, the Health Unit conducts the Nutritious Food Basket survey at 12 grocery stores in the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts. The Cost of Eating Well 2022 shares the findings from the survey. It explains why nutritious food is not affordable for many low income households. It also describes the effect of food insecurity on health, and calls for income-related policy measures to reduce food insecurity.

More information can be found in The Cost of Eating Well 2022 (February 2023)

In 2020, 53.2% of individuals aged 18 years and older in the Health Unit region were physically active at or above the recommended level (150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week) according to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, similar to the Ontario percentage (52.1%).

Visit the PHO Snapshots Self-Reported Physical Activity page for more detail.

Almost half (48.5%) of youth (aged 15-19 years) in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region report having had sexual intercourse, significantly higher than for Ontario (30.3%). Almost 90% responded that they had had sexual intercourse in the past 12 months. Of the youth who indicated that they had had sexual intercourse in the past 12 months, 58.1% reported having had one partner in the past 12 months and 41.9% reported having had two or more different sexual partners during this time frame.

Almost 90% of young adults (aged 20-24 years) in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region report having had sexual intercourse, statistically similar to Ontario (76.6%). Of those who indicated that they had had sexual intercourse in the past 12 months, 80.5% reported having had one partner in the past 12 months and 19.5% reported having had two or more different sexual partners during this time frame.