Hospital cafeterias across the country are cooking up food that can increase the risk of obesity, heart disease and stroke, says one Ottawa doctor, who has started a campaign to clean up hospital food and give patients and staff healthier options.
Dr. Yoni Freedhoff of the Bariatric Medical Institute has taken a camera into three Ottawa-area hospitals, to document what he says are high-calorie, high-sodium foods that are sold to patients, staff and visitors.
He found pizza laden with cheese, onion rings and beverages packed with sugar, all of which he says increase health risks.
"The hospitals are still serving food that the people working in the hospital would advise patients not to consume, and really I just don't think that's acceptable," Freedhoff told Â鶹´«Ã½.
The association that speaks for Canada's hospitals declined to be interviewed.
However, some Canadian hospitals are leading the way in the effort to clean up hospital food. Three hospitals run by Alberta Health Services now have cafeterias that serve healthy food options.
The cafeteria at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton doesn't have a deep fryer and omits greasy foods from its menu, opting instead to serve an abundance of vegetables and whole grains.
"We have an opportunity to really tell people what healthy eating needs to look like," said Dr. Arya Sharma of the Canadian Obesity Network.
On a visit to the hospital, Sharma was impressed by the healthy foods and smaller portions.
And the argument that serving junk food leads to higher profit margins? There's money to be made in healthy foods too, Sharma said.
"One of the most surprising things I learned here from the people running the cafeteria was that they can actually make money by providing healthy foods."
With a report from CTV medical correspondent Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
