Quebecers consume too much salt and sugar; food insecurity worsens behaviour: study
Posted January 8, 2026 2:59 pm.
Last Updated January 8, 2026 3:06 pm.
A majority of Quebecers do not follow healthy eating recommendations, especially those facing food insecurity, a study by Université Laval researchers found.
Researchers found that eight out of 10 people consume too much salt and seven out of 10 drink more than one sugary drink.
Meanwhile, only about a third of Quebecers get a daily dose of five or more servings of vegetables and fruit recommended by the government health authorities, according to the NutriQuébec, the largest of its kind in Quebec study.
“NutriQuébec data show how much we can underestimate the scale of the challenge of healthy eating in Quebec,” said Benoît Lamarche, lead researcher of the study and head of NUTRISS research centre at Université Laval.
Only 10 per cent of those who face insecurity consume the amount of fruit and vegetables recommended by provincial health agencies, compared to 40 per cent of those do not.
The findings were particularly concerning given the significant increase in food insecurity in Quebec since the pandemic, the researchers said.
Lamarche added that the study also highlighted social inequities and the need for improving accessibility of healthy food.
“This reminds us of the importance of continuing education and awareness efforts, but also of changing food environments to facilitate access to foods with higher nutritional value, particularly for the most vulnerable populations,” Lamarche said.
