Breadcrumb
- Home
- Healthy Eating & Physical Activity
- Age and Stage
- Infants, Children and Youth
Content Map Terms
Healthy Eating & Physical Activity Categories
-
Active for Health
-
Age and Stage
-
Infants, Children and Youth
- Child Who Is Overweight: Evaluating Nutrition and Activity Patterns
- Child Who Is Overweight: Medical Evaluation
- Eczema and Food Allergy in Babies and Young Children
- Feeding Your Baby: Sample Meals for Babies 6 to 12 Months of Age
- Finger Foods for Babies 6 - 12 Months
- Food Allergy Testing
- HealthLink BC Eating and Activity Program for Kids
- Healthy Eating for Children
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Your Vegetarian Baby: 6-12 months
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Your Vegetarian Toddler: 1-3 years
- Helping Your Child Who Is Overweight
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Child's BMI?
- Iron-Fortified Infant Cereal Recipes: Finger Foods For Babies and Toddlers
- Making Family Meals Enjoyable
- Mealtime and Your Toddler
- Parenting Babies (0-12 months)
- Recipes for Your Baby 6 - 9 Months Old
- Recipes for Your Baby 9 - 12 Months Old
- Reducing Risk of Food Allergy in Your Baby
- Snack Ideas for Preschoolers
- Specialized Formula Shortage
- Vitamins and Minerals for Toddlers
- Your Toddler: Nutritious Meals for Picky Eaters
- Physical Activity for Infants, Children and Youth
- Older Adults
- Pregnancy
- Menopause and Perimenopause
-
Infants, Children and Youth
-
Being Active
- Health Benefits of Physical Activity
- Myths About Physical Activity
- SMART Goal Setting
-
Getting Started
- Getting Started: Adding More Physical Activity to Your Life
- Quick Tips: Fitting Physical Activity Into Your Day
- Quick Tips: Getting Active as a Family
- Fitness: Adding More Activity To Your Life
- Getting Started With Flexibility and Exercise
- Fitness Machines
- Fitness Clothing and Gear
- Be Active: Move to Feel Good
- The Three Kinds of Fitness
- Set SMART Goals
- Overcoming Barriers: Adding More Physical Activity to your Life
-
Choosing Your Activity
- How to Choose Safe Equipment
- Exercising While Sitting Down
- Fitness DVDs and Videos
- Tips for Picking the Right Activities
- Quick Tips: Getting in Shape Without Spending Money
- Fitness: Walking for Wellness
- Walk Your Way To Health
- Tai Chi and Qi Gong
- Water Exercise
- Yoga
- Bob's Story: Biking for Health
- Exercise and Physical Activity Ideas
- Fitness: Choosing Activities That Are Right for You
-
Staying Active
- Fitness: Getting and Staying Active
- Fitness: Making It a Habit
- Quick Tips: Having Enough Energy to Stay Active
- Quick Tips: Staying Active at Home
- Quick Tips: Staying Active When You Travel
- Physical Activity in Winter
- Quick Tips: Staying Active in Cold Weather
- Quick Tips: Staying Active in Hot Weather
- Injury Prevention and Recovery
- Fitness and Exercise Learning Centre
-
Conditions
- Diabetes and Hypoglycemia
- Eating Disorders
- Healthy Eating for Disease Prevention
- Eating Right When You Have More Than One Health Problem
- Being Active When You Have More Than One Health Problem
- Physical Activity and Disease Prevention
- Anemia
- Arthritis and Osteoporosis
- Physiotherapy for Low Back Pain
- Low Back Pain: Exercises to Reduce Pain
- Cancer
-
Digestive
- Managing Constipation in Adults
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for People with Diverticular Disease
- Fibre and Your Health
- Lower Fibre Food Choices
- Eating Guidelines For Gallbladder Disease
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Lactose Intolerance
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for People with Peptic Ulcers
- Bowel Disease: Changing Your Diet
- Celiac Disease: Eating a Gluten-Free Diet
- GERD: Controlling Heartburn by Changing Your Habits
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Controlling Symptoms with Diet
- Food Allergies
-
Heart
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Coronary Artery Disease: Exercising for a Healthy Heart
- DASH Diet Sample Menu
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for People Taking Warfarin Anticoagulants
- Healthy Eating to Lower High Blood Pressure
- Exercising to Prevent a Stroke
- Healthy Diet Guidelines for a Healthy Heart
- Heart Arrhythmias and Exercise
- Heart Failure: Eating a Healthy Diet
- Heart Failure: Track Your Weight, Food and Sodium
- Heart-Healthy Eating
- Heart-Healthy Eating: Fish
- Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
- High Blood Pressure: Nutrition Tips
- High Cholesterol: How a Dietitian Can Help
- Modify Recipes for a Heart-Healthy Diet
- Plant-based Diet Guidelines
- Peripheral Arterial Disease and Exercise
- Physical Activity Helps Prevent a Heart Attack and Stroke
- High Blood Pressure: Using the DASH Diet
- Healthy Eating: Eating Heart-Healthy Foods
- Heart Health: Walking for a Healthy Heart
- Izzy's Story: Living with the DASH Diet
- Exercise and Fibromyalgia
-
Kidney and Liver
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for People with Early Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Stages 1 and 2
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Prevention of Recurrent Kidney Stones
- Healthy Eating for Chronic Hepatitis
- Kidney Disease: Changing Your Diet
- Kidney Stones: Preventing Kidney Stones Through Diet
- Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
- Lupus: Healthy Eating
- Mutiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson's Disease and Exercise
- Sally's Story: Avoiding Metabolic Syndrome
- Spinal Cord
-
Food and Nutrition
- About Healthy Eating
-
Eating Habits
- Developing a Plan for Healthy Eating
- Drinking Enough Water
- Eating Healthy at Holiday Parties
- Eating Journal
- Emotional Eating
- Encourage Healthy Eating Away From Home
- Food Journaling: How to Keep Track of What You Eat
- Healthy Eating: Changing Your Eating Habits
- Healthy Eating: Getting Support When Changing Your Eating Habits
- Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Eat Out
- Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Shop
- Healthy Eating: Overcoming Barriers to Change
- Healthy Eating: Starting a Plan for Change
- Healthy Eating: Staying With Your Plan
- Healthy Eating to Decrease Stress
- Jaci's Story: Changing her Life With Small Steps
- Jeremy's Story: Focusing on Eating Habits
- Loralie's Story: It's Never Too Late
- Maggie Morries: Plan Ahead When You Eat Out
- Plant-based Foods
- Sugary Drinks and Other Beverages
- Sodium
-
Nutrients
- Added Sugars
- Antioxidants
- Antioxidants and Your Diet
- Carbohydrate Foods
- Carbohydrate, Proteins, Fats and Blood Sugar
- Choosing a Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
- Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Eating Fish and Fish Oil
- Comparing Sugar Substitute
- Dietary Fats and Your Health
- Dietary Guidelines for Good Health
- Dietary Reference Intake
- Eating Protein
- Calcium and Your Health
- Food Sources of Vitamin K
- Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D
- Getting Enough Fibre
- Getting Enough Folic Acid
- Getting Enough Iron
- Getting Enough Potassium
- Healthy Eating: Cutting Unhealthy Fats From Your Diet
- Healthy Eating: Taking Calcium and Vitamin D
- High Potassium Eating
- High Potassium Foods
- Iron and Your Health
- Iron in Foods
- Low-Potassium Foods
- Major Nutrients in Food
- Minerals: Their Functions and Sources
- Non-Milk Sources of Calcium
- Quick Nutrition Check for Protein
- Quick Nutrition Check for Protein: Sample Menus
- Quick Nutrition Check for Vitamin B12
- Types of Fats
- Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for Adults
- Vitamins: Their Functions and Sources
- Food Labels
- Healthy Eating and Nutrition Topics A-Z
- Plan, Shop and Prepare
- Food, Water and Beverage Safety
- Canada's Food Guide FAQs
- Food Security
- Vegetarian Diets
-
Healthy Weights
- About Healthy Weights
- Genetic Influences on Weight
- Screening for Weight Problems
- Unplanned Weight Loss
- Quick Tips: Cutting Calories
- Physical Activity for Weight Loss
- Weight Loss by Limiting Calories
- Tips for Maintaining Weight Loss
- Choosing a Weight-Loss Program
- Boosting Your Metabolism
- Exercise Helps Maggie Stay at a Healthy Weight
- Healthy Eating: Recognizing Your Hunger Signals
- Hunger, Fullness, and Appetite Signals
- Weight Management
- Weight Management: Stop Negative Thoughts
- Maggie's Strategies for Eating Healthy
- Maggie: Making Room for Worth-It Foods
- Maggie's Story: Making Changes for Her Health
- Weight Management Centre
-
Policies and Guidelines
-
Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Making Bake Sales Delicious and Nutritious
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Boosting the Sales of Nutritious Food in Schools
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Food Fundraiser Ideas for Schools
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Involving Everyone in Implementing the Guidelines
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Selling Food and Beverages at School Sporting Events
- Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales: Planning Healthy Cafeteria Menus
- Healthier Choices in Vending Machines
- Informed Dining in Health Care Facilities
-
Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools
- Provincial Nutrition Resource Inventory
-
Forms and Tools
- Walking Log
- Exercise Planning Form
- Physical Activity Log
- Par-Q+ and ePARmed-X+
- Target Heart Rate
- Interactive Tool: What is Your Target Heart Rate
- Borg-Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale
- Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
- Heart Rate Calculator
- Overview of BC Provincial and Federal Nutrition Benefits Programs
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Body Mass Index (BMI) for Adults
- Interactive Tool: Do Your BMI and Waist Size Increase Your Health Risks?
- Measuring Your Waist
- Estimating Body Fat Percentage
- Factsheet Generator
- Fitness: Using a Pedometer or Step Counter
- Email a HealthLinkBC Dietitian
- Email a Qualified Exercise Professional
Infants and Children
Since May 2022, there has been a limited supply of hypoallergenic formulas for babies with food allergies and certain medical conditions. The supply of these formulas has now stabilized; however, Health Canada continues to monitor the situation closely. Learn more about the supply of specialized infant formulas and what you can do if you can't find your usual infant formula.
Healthy eating and regular physical activity are important for your child's growth and development. Learn about how to make healthy choices and model healthy behaviours for your child in the resources below.
If you are about to become a parent, or just had a baby, see more resources on pregnancy and parenting.
Breastfeeding
Breast milk is the only food or drink your baby needs for the first 6 months. Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding, when to offer your baby breastmilk and how to know if your baby is getting enough milk. For preterm infants, Perinatal Services BC provides a breastfeeding resource.
- Breastfeeding (HealthLinkBC File #70)
- Parenting Babies (0-12 months)
- Perinatal Services BC: Breastfeeding Your Early Preterm Infant (PDF, 2.75MB)
Formula Feeding
Parents may give their baby infant formula for a variety of reasons. Learn how to choose infant formula, what equipment is needed for feeding, how often to offer formula, and how to safely store and prepare infant formula.
- Formula Feeding Your Baby: Getting Started (HealthLinkBC File #69a)
- Formula Feeding Your Baby: Safely Preparing and Storing Formula (HealthLinkBC File #69b)
- Formula Feeding: How to Clean and Disinfect
- Formula Feeding: How to Prepare Concentrated Liquid Formula
- Formula Feeding: How to Prepare Powdered Formula
- Formula Feeding: How to Prepare Ready-to-Feed Formula
Baby's First Foods
At about 6 months of age, your baby needs more nutrients and is ready to start trying solid foods. Learn what foods to introduce first and how to prepare and offer them to your baby. These resources also provide tips and recipes to help get you started.
- Baby's First Foods (HealthLinkBC File #69c)
- Feeding Your Baby: Sample Meals for Babies 6 to 12 Months of Age
- Finger Foods for Babies 6 - 12 Months
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Your Vegetarian Baby: 6-12 months
- Iron-Fortified Infant Cereal Recipes: Finger Foods For Babies and Toddlers
- Recipes for Your Baby 6 - 9 Months Old
- Recipes for Your Baby 9 - 12 Months Old
Feeding Your Toddler
As a parent or caregiver, you play an important role in helping your child build healthy eating habits and skills. For tips on how to help toddlers learn to eat a variety of healthy foods, click on the links below.
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Your Vegetarian Toddler: 1-3 years
- Helping Your 1 to 3 Year Old Child Eat Well (HealthLinkBC File #69d)
- Meal and Snack Ideas for Your 1 to 3 Year Old Child (HealthLinkBC File #69e)
- Mealtime and Your Toddler
Choosing Healthy Food for Infants, Children and Youth
Eating a variety of healthy foods will give your child nutrition for growth, development and learning.
Healthy Growth
Children grow at different rates and come in many shapes and sizes. Each child grows and develops at a rate that is unique for them. Measuring your child's weight and height once is not enough to determine if they are growing well. If you are concerned about your child's growth, consider speaking with your health care provider. Feeling comfortable with how your child is growing is important.
As a parent, you can promote physical activity and healthy eating habits to help your child grow at a rate that is right for them.
Food Allergy
Food allergy happens when the body's immune system treats a protein in a food as harmful. To learn more about food allergies and your children, click on the links below.
- Eczema and Food Allergy in Babies and Young Children
- Food Allergy Testing
- Reducing Risk of Food Allergy in Your Baby
- Severe Food Allergies in Children and Teenagers (HealthLinkBC File #100a)
Food Safety
Younger children are at a higher risk of food borne illness and choking. To reduce the risk, foods should be prepared in a safe way and certain foods should be limited or avoided.
- Health Canada: Safe Food Handling for Children Ages 5 and Under
- Preventing Choking in Babies and Young Children: For Child Care Providers (HealthLink BC File #110b)
Physical Activity
Children can benefit from regular physical activity. Establishing a healthy lifestyle pattern early will carry them forward for the rest of their lives.
Useful Resources
Baby's Best Chance: Parents' Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care
Baby's Best Chance is a reference guide for parents. Topics covered include pregnancy, birth and parenting a baby up to six months of age. Your baby's development is very important for your child's future health and well-being. Baby's Best Chance provides easy-to-read tips on having a healthy pregnancy and giving your baby a good start in life.
Toddler's First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6-36 Month–Old Child
As your child grows, there is another guide called Toddler's First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6- to 36-Month-Old Child. This guide covers child development, healthy eating, health and well-being, parenting and safety for children.
Last Updated: June 2021
Contact Physical Activity Services
If you have questions about physical activity or exercise, call 8-1-1 (or 7-1-1 for the deaf and heard of hearing) toll-free in B.C. Our qualified exercise professionals are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm Pacific Time. You can also leave a message after hours.
Translation services are available in more than 130 languages.
HealthLinkBC’s qualified exercise professionals can also answer your questions by email.
Contact a Dietitian
If you have any questions about healthy eating, food, or nutrition, call 8-1-1 (or 7-1-1 for the deaf and hard of hearing) toll-free in B.C. You can speak to a health service navigator who can connect you with one of our registered dietitians, who are available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. You can also leave a message after hours.
Translations services are available in more than 130 languages.
HealthLinkBC Dietitians can also answer your questions by email.