Manitoba Could Reduce Annual Health Care Costs By $400 Million Through Increased Consumption Of Functional Foods

According to the recently completed study, “Economic Impact to Manitoba of Increased Adoption of Healthy Food and Food Ingredients for Chronic Disease Management and Mitigation,” there could be substantial potential savings of between $360 to 400 million annually to the health care system in Manitoba by changing eating habits to include more functional foods – a reduction of more than 10 per cent of the annual health costs in the province.

Agriculture economist Maria Jose Patiño Valiente, MSc, used the Canadian Climate Advantage Diet (CCAD) model as the basis for determining the economic impact of increased consumption of functional foods on health care costs associated with diabetes and heart disease. CCAD promotes the health benefits from increased consumption of Canadian-grown and processed crops and livestock products.

Funded by the Canadian and Manitoban governments through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, plant and animal-based bioactive compounds are tested and assessed, from isolation and characterization through clinical proof of safety and efficacy to product development and commercialization. The CCAD has at its foundation the validation of the benefits from increased consumption of high quality crops and healthier animal-based products (including canola oil, flaxseed, pulses, whole grains, potatoes and emerging crops, eggs, dairy, turkey, bison, freshwater fish, honey and grass-fed beef).