Protein sources in the Canadian diet, 2015

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Release date: March 22, 2018
Infographic: Protein sources in the Canadian diet, 2015
Description: Protein sources in the Canadian diet, 2015

Protein is a source of energy. Children get 15.6% of their daily energy intake from protein; for adults, it's 17.0%. Sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, eggs, dairy products, nuts and seeds, and legumes.

Percentage of Canadians who eat these sources of protein on any given dayFootnote 1
Food category %
Dairy products 93.6
Meat 63.4
Eggs 56.2
Poultry 43.5
Nuts or seeds 33.7
Fish or shellfish 17.4
Legumes 14.3
Footnote 1

Excluding soups (ready-to-serve, canned, condensed or dehydrated), baby food products, fats (e.g., butter and animal fat), and plant-based beverages (e.g., soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk). Meat includes red meat and processed meat.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

1.6% of Canadians exclude fish and shellfish, meat, and poultry from their diet.

Canadians living in large urban areas are more likely to exclude fish and shellfish, meat, and poultry from their diet (1.9%) than those living in small urban or rural areas (0.6%).

More Canadians exclude fish and shellfish from their diet than any other souces of protein.

Percentage of Canadians who exclude various food categories from their diet
Food category %
Fish and shellfish 7.8
Meat 5.0
Poultry 2.6
Dairy products 2.1
Eggs 2.0

Women and girls are more likely to exclude fish and shellfish, meat, or poultry from their diet.

Percentage of Canadians who exclude various food categories from their diet, by sex
Food category Female (%) Male (%)
Fish and shellfish 8.6 6.9
Meat 5.9 4.1
Poultry 3.2 2.0

Note: Includes household population aged 1 and over in the 10 provinces.

Source: 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey – Nutrition.

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