Programs that maintain lists of dietitians and nutritionists, and link individuals with qualified practitioners who can help them develop healthy eating habits and change their diet, if necessary, to manage their weight, reduce their cholesterol levels, lower their blood pressure, deal with diabetes or prevent and/or treat other health concerns.

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Programs that provide information concerning the basic principles of healthful eating, food handling, food preparation and shopping skills. Included is information about the basic food groups, vitamin and mineral requirements, the relationship of nutrition to the preservation of good health and the prevention of illness, and dietary choices such as vegetarianism.

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Programs that promote the benefits of an active lifestyle and encourage people of all ages to participate in regular physical activity as a means of improving health, preventing disease and enhancing the overall quality of their lives. The programs may be tailored for specific populations such as children, adolescents, older adults, employees or people with disabilities; and generally explain why physical activity is important, offer suggestions regarding easy ways to integrate physical activity into a daily routine (such as taking the stairs, going for a walk or parking further away than one usually does), describe specific benefits that can be experienced (such as building strong bones, strengthening muscles, maintaining flexibility, achieving and maintaining ideal weight, maintaining cardiovascular health, meeting new friends and improving physical self-esteem), and provide guidelines for the type and level of activity that is required to develop and maintain fitness or achieve other health-related goals.

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Programs that utilize one or a variety of techniques including nutrition education, exercise, special diets, protein sparing fasting, behaviour modification, hypnosis, medication or surgery to help individuals who have a weight control problem gain or lose weight to achieve a more healthful body weight and develop a lifestyle that allows them to maintain that weight.

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Mutual support groups whose members are individuals who are seeking weight gain or weight loss support. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; provide emotional support, information and resources for those who participate; offer weight loss or weight gain support only, no special diets; and may include faith-based and secular 12-step groups as well as non-12 step groups. 

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Multidisciplinary programs, often offered on an inpatient basis with post-discharge outpatient therapy, that provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for individuals who have anorexia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, bulimia or a related eating disorder. Treatment depends on the specific type of eating disorder involved but typically involves psychotherapy, nutrition education, family counselling, medication and hospitalization, if required, to stabilize the patient's health.

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