EatRight Ontario Print Header

Do you have questions about nutrition and healthy living? Visit us www.ontario.ca/eatright or call us toll-free† at 1-877-510-510-2.

Get answers to your nutrition & healthy eating questions.

Call us toll-free† at 1-877-510-510-2 to speak directly with a Registered Dietitian.

Print this page

1. What is EatRight Ontario (ERO)?

EatRight Ontario is here to provide advice on daily food choices that will help you live well and stay healthy. This service provides easy-to-use nutrition information from Registered Dietitians to make healthier food choices easier for you. Dietitians of Canada and the Ministry of Health Promotion are working together to give the people of Ontario more ways to connect with a Registered Dietitian and get trusted advice on healthy eating at no cost.


Everyone has questions on healthy eating, food and nutrition.


Here are the three easy ways to reach a Registered Dietitian:

2. Why has this service been introduced?

This service was introduced in support of the Government of Ontario’s goal to improve the health of individuals and communities in Ontario.

There are many confusing nutrition messages and many people have healthy eating questions that are not being answered. EatRight Ontario is here to help. By connecting Ontarians with Registered Dietitians, users have access the best resource for healthy eating and nutrition information. ERO dietitians use the latest evidence to help people better understand their nutrition issues and help them make healthy choices.

3. Who can call?

The service is available to all residents of Ontario – the general public, health professionals and community leaders. Whether you are a new mom coping with a picky eater, a physical education teacher coaching young athletes, an older adult with diabetes, or a nurse looking for calcium sources, this service is for you.

4. Who will I be speaking to?

When you call or email ERO, you will be connected with a Registered Dietitian. A Registered Dietitian (RD) is a licensed health professional who is trained to provide advice on nutrition, food and healthy eating.

To become a Registered Dietitian, one must have a university degree specializing in food and nutrition, complete a one year internship (practical training) or an accredited Masters program in a patient care setting, and write a national licensing exam. Dietitians are members of a provincially regulated profession and the term “Registered Dietitian” is protected by law.

Registered Dietitians are your best resource for answering questions on nutrition, food and health.

5. What are the hours of service?

Phone service is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm ET, with evening hours Tuesday and Thursday to 9 pm ET. Outside these hours you may leave a voice mail message and a Registered Dietitian will return your call the next business day.

The email and web service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

6. How often can I call?

Call as often as you like. There are no limits to how many times you can call or email our service.

7. In what languages is this service available?

The service is available in English, French and over 100 other languages. TTY service is available for hearing impaired individuals

8. Do I need a doctor’s referral to use this service?

No. You do not need a referral from a doctor (or other health professional) to call or email our service.

This service provides general nutrition and disease prevention information. ERO cannot provide individual in-depth counseling or medical advice.

9. What are common questions from telephone users?

Our Registered Dietitians answer questions on food, healthy eating and chronic disease prevention. Here are some examples of commonly asked questions:

  • How do I lower my risk of heart disease?
  • What are some tips for weight loss?
  • I just found out I have diabetes. Where can I go to for help?
  • What should I feed my baby?
  • My son is a vegetarian. What foods can I prepare for him?
  • What are whole grains?
  • How much fibre should I be eating?
  • I don’t drink milk. What can I eat to make sure I get enough calcium?
  • My child is a picky eater. How can I get her to eat more vegetables?
  • Do I need to take supplements?

10. How do I send an email and when can I expect a response?

Send an email by clicking on Email a Dietitian. A Registered Dietitian will send a personalized response to your nutrition question within three business days or less. You can ask as many questions as you want as often as you want.

11. What information is available on the website?

The website provides easy-to-use nutrition information to make healthier food choices easier. Website content is written and reviewed by Registered Dietitians and is based on the most current evidence.

Visitors will find feature articles on nutrition and health, recipes, healthy eating tips, meal planning advice and FAQs on popular topics. Nutrition tools and links offer many additional resources to support healthy eating and lifestyle choices. Here are some examples of the kind of information that you can find on the website:

  • Digestive health
  • Vitamins and minerals
  • Dental health
  • Breastfeeding
  • Weight management
  • Caffeine
  • Cancer prevention
  • Food safety

12. How often is the website updated?

The website is updated with new content every month. Existing content is reviewed on a regular basis to make sure it is up to date and based on current evidence. If you have any questions or concerns about website content, please contact us by email or by phone at 1-877-510-510-2.

13. Is there a charge to use this service?

Our phone number is toll-free and there is no charge to call or email our Registered Dietitians.

14. What questions will the dietitian ask me?

The dietitian may need to ask you some questions about your age, family or current food choices to provide advice that is more personalized for your situation.

When the dietitian has finished answering your nutrition question, she will obtain your permission to ask a few other questions before ending the call. Your answers help us find out more about our users so that we can improve our service. You do not have to answer any questions that you are not comfortable with and all information is kept confidential and not shared with anybody else.

Some of the questions you may be asked are:

  • Who are you calling for?
  • What is your age?
  • What is your education level?
  • What is your postal code?
  • How did you hear about EatRight Ontario?
  • Would you recommend this service to someone else?

The dietitian may also ask for your mailing address or email address if you have requested to have nutrition resources sent to you.

For more information on privacy, please see the Government of Ontario’s Privacy Statement.

15. Can I get a prescription or a doctor’s referral? Does ERO offer medical advice?

Our service only provides general nutritional health information, and should be used for informational purposes only. We do not provide any medical diagnoses, symptom assessments, prescriptions, health counseling, or medical opinions for individual users.

While we do not provide doctor referrals, we are happy to help you locate health services in your area. We have an extensive database of contact information for hospitals, clinics, public health units, community health centres and other health supports that we can provide to you for more in-depth advice and medical care.

16. What if this is an emergency?

If you are feeling ill right now, immediately phone TeleHealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or dial 911, or visit your doctor or closest hospital. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking help because of information that you have received through our service.

17. Who funds the program? Who manages it?

The service is funded by the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Health Promotion. The call centre, email service and website are managed by Dietitians of Canada.

Provided by the Ministry of Health Promotion.

Ontario

© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2010