State of the Region's Health 2003 Focus on Foodborne Disease

The State of the Region's Health 2003 report (PDF 3.8MB, 40 pages) focuses on common foodborne diseases. Foodborne diseases, usually known as 'food poisoning', are acquired when contaminated foods or beverages are consumed. This report focuses on those foodborne diseases caused by microorganisms (bacteria, parasites and viruses).
The State of the Region's Health 2003 is one of a series of reports that highlight important health issues and trends in the Region of Peel. Other reports in the series include:
- Children's Dental Health Report 2003
- Communicable Disease 2002 - Focus on Tuberculosis
- State of the Region's Health 2002 - Focus on Asthma
- Child Health Report 2002
- State of the Region's Health 2001

	This report focuses on these three main areas:
	Overview of Foodborne Disease Foodborne Disease in the Region of Peel Food Safety and the Origins of Foodborne Disease In each of the three topic areas, you will find highlights and a link to the complete chapter. An introduction, summary and a comprehensive list of references is also available. The Peel Health Facts section highlights the most recent health indicator data, including leading causes of hospitalizations, mortality and premature mortality, and selected reproductive health statistics.
Residents of the Region of Peel continue to enjoy relatively good health by provincial and national standards. Yet within this positive picture, many health challenges remain.
"Foodborne illness is much more common than the numbers in this report show," said Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Peel. "We estimate that fewer than one in every 100 of these illnesses is ever reported, making these largely preventable diseases some of the most widespread health problems in our community."