This is not the first time Health Canada's conduct has been questioned from an ethical standpoint. Three Health Canada scientists, who described themselves as whistle-blowers, were fired on the same day in 2004, purportedly for insubordination. They said they were being pressured to approve drugs despite safety concerns. In the late 1990s, the three had opposed bovine growth hormone, which enhances milk production in cows.
Freedhoff calculated calorie intake recommended in the drafts of the Food Guide and concluded it would be fattening. He said the food guide should include recommendations on calorie intake.
"Canada's Food Guide is not meant to be a weight-loss program but, at the same time, it should not be obesogenic," Freedhoff wrote.
This comes at a time of increasing concern about the health and fitness of Canadians, and specifically a rise in obesity.
The possibility that a government agency charged with overseeing Canadians' health might be allowing itself to be infiltrated and influenced by organizations with a vested interest is a serious matter.
For the individual, indications are that one may be better off following a respected diet book than Canada's Food Guide.
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