Food Literacy & Nutrition Practice Research
Our research in Food Literacy & Nutrition Practice applies the principles of implementation science to bridge the gap between nutrition evidence and practice. Our work examines what drives successful implementation of nutrition policies and interventions before, during, and after they are introduced to improve food literacy, dietary intakes, and health outcomes.
A core pillar of our team's program is food literacy research. Food literacy is the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours that enable individuals to make healthy, sustainable food choices in today’s complex food environment. Strengthening food literacy is central to promoting lifelong healthy eating and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
Improving Nutrition Education and Food Literacy in Elementary Schools.
Nutrition education is a core component of elementary school curricula in Canada. Our research has examined ways to strengthen nutrition education and food literacy in Canadian classrooms, particularly through the use of technology. Research in this area includes:
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Conducting qualitative research with elementary school teachers to understand the barriers and facilitators to nutrition education in classrooms.
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Conducting critical evaluations of nutrition-focused mobile apps available in Canada.
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Co-designing, developing, and evaluating a novel digital classroom intervention for elementary students and teachers, called Foodbot Factory (highlighted below) that has recently been evaluated in a CIHR-funded study in schools across Ontario.
Evidence-based Intervention: Foodbot Factory
Foodbot Factory is a digital nutrition education intervention that aims to improve child food literacy through the use of a curriculum-aligned, web-based game. The tool's emphasis is on enhancing nutrition knowledge and attitudes to ultimately lead to healthy eating behaviours. Foodbot Factory will be publicly available in 2026.
Foodbot Factory is a fun, game-based digital learning tool that helps kids learn about healthy eating and Canada’s Food Guide. Designed for students in Grades 4 and 5, Foodbot Factory also includes lesson plans and resources to help teachers use the app in classrooms. Foodbot Factory’s content aligns with school curriculums across Canada’s provinces and territories.
Foodbot Factory was co-designed with a team of teachers, dietitians, software engineers and researchers in computer science, health science, and education. It was rigorously tested with kids to maximize fun and learning. The lesson plans are adaptable so they can be made relevant to students from different cultures, geographic areas, socio-economic realities, and with different learning abilities, supporting inclusive nutrition education.
Our pilot research shows that Foodbot Factory can increase students' nutrition knowledge and improve their attitudes about healthy eating. Students find it fun and engaging. Teachers find it a helpful and interesting tool that aligns with the curriculum and supports diverse learners. Results from an Ontario-wide cluster randomized controlled trial of Foodbot Factory on healthy eating knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours will be available in 2026.
Addressing the Nutrition Infodemic: Studying the Impact of Food Mis/Dis-information.
Recently, we have developed a growing interest in what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls the infodemic - an overabundance of information, including false or misleading content, that undermines public understanding and informed decision-making. Our research team is currently conducting research to examine:
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Where and from whom Canadians access nutrition information.
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Levels of trust in information sources.
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Perceptions of nutrition-related mis/dis-information.
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How people interpret “paid partnerships” for food and beverage products on social media, and the impact this has on trust or intent to purchase.
Innovative and timely, these studies have the potential to inform future health communication strategies, support regulatory guidance for digital nutrition communications, and inform initiatives for strengthening food literacy.
Examining the Use of Weight Inclusive Approaches Among Registered Dietitians in Canada.
Within the past 10 years, weight inclusive care has become increasingly common in dietetic practice. Weight inclusive care minimizes shame and disordered eating by acknowledging that many factors can influence a person's weight. It emphasizes mindfulness, internal hunger cues, and enjoyment of food without a focus on weight loss. Our research in this area has:
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Established a framework for weight inclusive care in Canada, identifying five unique practice approaches used when working with clients with larger body sizes.
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Examined the proportion of Canadian dietitians who apply these different practice approaches.
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Identified the barriers and facilitators to implementing weight inclusive care in practice by applying rigorous implementation science frameworks.
Recent Food Literacy Publications
Efficacy of the Foodbot Factory Digital Curriculum-Based Nutrition Education Intervention in Improving Children's Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours in Elementary School Classrooms: Protocol for a Cluster Randomised Trial.
Overview: While schools are an important setting for developing food literacy, minimal research has assessed which strategies are most suitable for school nutrition education. Dr. Arcand’s team is conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate if Foodbot Factory is superior to traditional education modalities at improving nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and dietary behaviours in Gr 4 & 5 students across Ontario. This publication provides a detailed overview of the cluster randomized controlled trial protocol that is underway, with efficacy results available in 2026.
Access the Paper Describing This Study:
Brown JM, Tahir S, Franco-Arellano B, LeSage A, Hughes J, Kapralos B, Lou W, Vogel E, Farkouh M, Tugault-Lafleur C, Arcand J.
