Researchers in Canada are creating the largest database of information about what people eat and how much they exercise. This study involves over 330,000 Canadian adults who will answer questions about their diet and daily activities through online tools. By collecting detailed information about eating habits and movement patterns, scientists hope to understand how food environments and activity levels affect health. The data will help researchers develop better strategies to prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and will give Canadian scientists better tools to study nutrition and exercise in the future.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How to collect detailed information about what Canadians eat and how much they move, sleep, and exercise, so researchers can understand what affects people’s health.
  • Who participated: Over 330,000 Canadian adults from an existing health study called CanPath who can complete online surveys. As of late 2025, about 3,171 people had already joined this new part of the study.
  • Key finding: This is a new project that’s just getting started. Researchers are building a system to collect detailed food and exercise information from up to 100,000 Canadians over time, which will be the largest collection of this type of data in Canada.
  • What it means for you: This research may eventually help doctors and health officials create better plans to help Canadians eat healthier and exercise more. The findings could influence food policies and community programs in your area, though results won’t be available for several years.

The Research Details

This is a protocol paper, which means it describes the plan for how researchers will collect and study information. The study uses an existing group of Canadian adults (called CanPath) who have already agreed to participate in health research. Researchers are adding new detailed questions about what people eat and how they move throughout the day.

Participants will use online tools to record what they ate in the past 24 hours and what activities they did. Some people will do this twice, about 1-2 weeks apart. A smaller group will repeat these detailed reports again 6 months later. Everyone will also answer broader questions about their eating and exercise habits once a year.

The study is happening across all Canadian provinces, with special attention to Quebec where 3,000 participants are part of a related study called NutriQuébec. Researchers will also look at where people live and what food and exercise options are available in their neighborhoods.

This approach is important because it combines multiple ways of measuring diet and exercise. Some methods ask people to remember what they did in the past day (which is very detailed but can be hard to remember), while others ask about general habits over longer periods (which is easier but less detailed). Using both methods together gives researchers a more complete picture. The study also connects personal information with neighborhood data, which helps explain why some communities have healthier eating and exercise patterns than others.

This is a well-designed study because it involves a very large group of people across an entire country, which makes the findings more likely to apply to all Canadians. The study uses validated tools (ASA24 and ACT24) that have been tested and proven reliable in other research. However, this is a protocol paper describing the plan, not final results. The actual data collection just began in 2025, so we won’t have findings until 2028. The study relies on people accurately reporting their own eating and exercise, which can sometimes be inaccurate.

What the Results Show

This paper doesn’t report research results yet—it’s a plan for how the study will work. The researchers are still in the early stages of collecting information. As of November 2025, only about 3,171 people had completed the initial surveys, though the goal is to eventually include up to 100,000 participants.

The study is designed to eventually answer important questions like: Does living in an area with more healthy food options lead to better eating habits? Do people who live in neighborhoods with parks and sidewalks exercise more? How do eating and exercise patterns change over time? These answers won’t be available until the data is fully collected and analyzed, which is expected to happen in 2028.

Beyond the main questions about diet and exercise, this study will also help researchers improve their methods for measuring what people eat and how much they move. It will create a training opportunity for new Canadian researchers to learn how to collect and analyze this type of health information. The study will also help different Canadian research groups work together by using the same measurement tools and methods.

Canada has not had a large, detailed national database of dietary intake and movement behavior before. This study fills an important gap. Other countries like the United States have similar studies (like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), but Canada has lacked comparable data. This project puts Canada on par with other developed countries in terms of nutrition and physical activity research capacity.

Since this is a protocol paper, the main limitation is that there are no results yet. When results do come out, some limitations will include: people may not accurately remember or report what they ate and how much they exercised; people who volunteer for health studies may be healthier than average Canadians; and the study relies on people having internet access and being able to complete online surveys, which may exclude some populations.

The Bottom Line

This is early-stage research that’s still collecting data, so there are no direct recommendations for individuals yet. However, the general principle behind this study—that diet quality and regular movement are important for health—is already well-established. Most health experts recommend eating a variety of whole foods and getting at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. When this study’s results are published in 2028 and beyond, they may provide more specific guidance about which foods and activities are most beneficial.

This research matters to everyone in Canada, especially policymakers, public health officials, and healthcare providers who make decisions about food policies and community health programs. It’s also important for people interested in nutrition and exercise science. Once results are available, the findings could affect food labeling, school nutrition programs, and community planning decisions that affect everyone.

The study is just beginning. Data collection started in 2025, data processing will be completed in 2027, and the first analyses are expected in 2028. This means the first research papers with actual findings won’t be published until 2028 or later. Some results may come out gradually over several years as researchers explore different questions.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Users could track their daily food intake using a food diary feature and log their physical activities (walking, exercise, sleep) for 24-hour periods. This mirrors the study’s approach and helps users understand their own patterns similar to what researchers are measuring nationally.
  • Users could set goals based on the types of foods and activities being measured in this study—such as ’log meals for 3 days this week’ or ‘record 30 minutes of activity daily’—to become more aware of their own eating and movement habits while contributing to similar personal health data.
  • Implement a monthly review feature where users can see trends in their food choices and activity levels over time, similar to how the study will track changes in participants over months and years. This could include comparisons to previous months and reminders to maintain consistent tracking.

This paper describes a research protocol and does not yet contain study results or health recommendations. The study is still in the data collection phase. This information is for educational purposes and should not be used to make personal health decisions. Please consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian for personalized nutrition and exercise advice. When results from this study are published, they should be reviewed in context with other research before being applied to individual health decisions.