Introduction+and+Definition+of+problem+or+issue

Canada is one step away from being one of the top 10 country's with obesity problem .People who are obese are at a much higher risk for serious medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, gallbladder disease, and different cancers than people who have a healthy weight(MediResource Inc.) In recent years, the number of overweight people in industrialized countries has increased significantly, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called obesity an epidemic (MediResource Inc.) The Canadian Consumer Trends in Obesity and Food article states that in Canada, more than 6 million people between 20 to 64 years old are overweight and another 2.8 million are obese (Alberta, 2004). The findings show the main problems are a lack of dietary information support and the struggle between status and price for premium health products. The Alberta government concludes there is a lot of confusion among consumers about nutritional information and is important to educate consumers and promote healthy diets and physical activities (Alberta, 2004). In the report Alberta marketing strategy to educate consumers include paring up with industry groups, governments, health and nutrition groups, and other stakeholders to educate and communicate with consumers. This proposal will develop off the idea to educate consumers through a direct promotional channel any province in Canada can implement.

The Integrative Design research project will find a solution to the above obesity problem in Canada by designing an effective communication strategy to promote health information and address price constraints. Many consumers will choose wallet over waist since eating cheap fast food products is more economical and helps consumers stretch their dollars. This is why fast-food restaurants are seen as a good investments during economical recessions (MSN, 2009). Although fast food restaurants are now required to have nutritional values displayed somewhere in the restaurant, Jessica Wisdom, Julie S. Downs and George Loewenstein's research shows that a strictly informational approach may be less effective than subtle guidance in enticing fast-food customers to switch to healthier meals (Promoting Healthy Choices: Information vs. Convenience, 2010). Thus our objective is to implement alternative interactive environments featuring touch screen kiosks to attract and encourage customers to actively seek nutritional guidance before making meal decisions. Our goal is to reach large masses, specifically those which are readily available in the food-courts of Ontario malls. This is where our initial testing will take place. The interactive kiosk will address consumers' lack of nutritional information sources and their challenge of choosing price over nutritional value. An added incentive to use the kiosk will be the coupons dispensed after a quick session. (see appendix for interactive process ...coming soon) The coupons will offer discounts on healthy meals available at various restaurants in the food court. This will serve as a favourable marketing strategy for the food merchants as well as an incentive for consumers to make healthy meal decisions.

1. Alberta Government,The Canadian Consumer Trends in Obesity and Food consumption. (2004) http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sis8438

2. Health Statistics Obesity by country (2003) http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe-health-obesity

2. MSN, SmartMoney http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/ConsumerActionGuide/wallet-vs-waist-fast-food-cost-per-calorie.aspx

3. Jessica Wisdom, Julie S. Downs and George Loewenstein. (year?) Promoting Healthy Choices: Information vs. Convenience (http://sds.hss.cmu.edu/media/pdfs/loewenstein/PromotingHealthierChoices.pd

4. MediResource Inc.,. "The Facts on Obesity." N.p., 2010. Web. 22 Sep 2010. .  According to Statistics Canada, there has been an inclining amount of self-reported obesity over the past six years among Canadians. This trend is apparent across all age groups. The Public Health Agency of Canada notes that healthy eating is the "key element in healthy human development, from the prenatal stage to later life stages". Food provides nourishment to our bodies and gives us the energy to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Research has revealed that as the level of ones obesity increases, the risk for the following conditions also increases: coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon), hypertension (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of tryglicerides), stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint), gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility). social stigmatization, psychological disorders (binge eating, body image). (National Institute of Health, 12-57) At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, they attribute obesity to stem from "environments that promote increased food intake, non-healthful foods, and physical inactivity." Multiple factors, such as genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status, all play a part in determining the weight of individuals. They concur that, "Policy and environmental change initiatives that make healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity available, affordable, and easy will likely prove most effective in combating obesity". Additionally, that "Behavior and environment play a large role causing people to be overweight and obese", and that, "These are the greatest areas for prevention and treatment actions." Therefore, this integrative design project aims to alter both, the behavior of individuals and vendors, and the environment they interact in. Works Cited

//Statistics Canada.// CANSIM, table 105-0501 and catalogue no. 82-221-X, 21 June 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. [].

Healthy Eating." //It’s Your Health.// Health Canada, April 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. [].

National Institute of Health. //Clinical Guidelines on The Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report.// Sept. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. []  Canada’s battle with the bulge is continuing to escalate with nearly one-quarter of the population part of the country’s rising obesity rates, a new report from a leading economic organization said Thursday.

The report said Canada has a relatively high number of overweight citizens, saying one in four Canadians currently qualifies as obese, with that number expected to climb a further five per cent over the next decade.

Canadian obesity rates are well below those of the United States, identified by the OECD as the fattest nation among its member countries.  []