A pilot project is looking to cut through nutrition myths by providing free access for Saskatchewan residents to registered dietitians. Eat Well Saskatchewan is a partnership between Indigenous Services Canada and the University of Saskatchewan and has opened up the lines of communication on all things nutrition.

The program allows residents from all across the province to call and speak directly with a registered dietitian to ask any and all questions pertaining to nutrition.

This is the second of it’s kind, the first pilot project focused on establishing the nutrition call centre to First Nations communities throughout the province. The six-month pilot launched in 2018 with a goal to reduce health inequality and the burden of chronic disease.

Carrie Lambden, Dietitian Centre Contact Coordinator, said the first project proved to be very beneficial and was so much of a success, Indigenous Services Canada and the UofS, opted to take the service province-wide.

The new province-wide call centre, launched this past March and has funding to operate for up to three years. Lambden said the first four months have proven optimistic for the program, with approximately 250 users thus far.

Lambden shared although callers are able to ask any, and as many, questions they want regarding nutrition, she said some of the more frequently asked questions include topics such as, diabetes, weight loss and proper nutrition for infants and children.

Additionally, she said an important part of what they do is sort through and make sense of the man fads and less talked about areas of nutrition including, gluten, keto and how to properly read nutrition labels.

The service looks to provide credible answers surrounding nutrition as Lambden outlined, the internet can be useful but also confusing, and of course, not always credible.

For those who require more in depth counselling, Lambden said the Eat Well program can also connect callers with dietitians they are able to work with on a more one-on-one basis, in order to reach their goals.