Mission, Vision and Values
The first 1,000 days
According to the Observatoire des tout-petits (2019), 1 in 10 Quebec households with at least one child under the age of 6 is in a situation of food insecurity.
Expectant mothers in situations of food insecurity often don’t have access to sufficient and adequate nutrition.
Since its creation in 1991, Fondation Olo has helped over 250,000 babies be born healthier. Every year, Olo supports around 7,000 pregnant women in vulnerable situations and their families through the Olo Care initiative. And, in community-based organizations and Indigenous communities, even more families are getting access to Olo messaging and tools to help them develop healthy eating habits.
To support all families, whether or not they receive Olo Care, Olo has created a Family hub. This space contains clear messages and information about healthy eating during the period that matters most for children: the first 1,000 days.
The first 1,000 days: the importance of acting early
The first 1,000 days is a key period in a child’s development and extends from pregnancy to age 2. It is a pivotal period in a baby’s brain development and a critical time for mother and child nutrition. In fact, diet and healthy eating habits during pregnancy and the first 2 years of a child’s life will influence that child’s physical, psychological, social and emotional development.
That is why it’s important to act early!
Early childhood is when eating behaviours are learned. We believe that every child has a right to healthy eating, which includes both what’s on the plate and the mealtime environment. We also know that the consequences of poor nutrition are harmful to babies’ health (developmental delays, childhood obesity, anemia, diabetes and other chronic illnesses later in life).
A child who eats alone misses out on learning opportunities and conversations that help with language and social ability development. Eating alone also deprives them of the comfort of a mealtime routine.
However, if children are involved in meal preparation and if meals are eaten as a family, they will develop curiosity about food and their sense of taste. They will also build self-esteem, self-confidence and independence. Open and curious children make for pleasant mealtimes!
Early childhood is a time for discovering new flavours and acquiring healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.
Nutrition in the first 1,000 days
A healthy future starts in the first 1,000 days! Through our approach, we work towards little ones and their families developing healthy eating habits right from pregnancy.
We also want parents and the entire family to incorporate the 3 core dimensions of the Olo approach:
Eating well
A balanced diet helps babies develop optimally and is good for the health of the entire family. Eating well means different things over the course of the baby’s first 1,000 days. It starts with the mother’s diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding, continues with baby’s first foods, and evolves when baby joins in at family meals. Eating well means:
- Having a balanced diet in terms of both quantity and quality
- Eating a variety of foods
- Respecting our body’s hunger and fullness signals
Cooking
Preparing food is something parents do for their family’s health and well-being. Cooking reduces food expenses and often leads to eating more nutritious food.
Exposing children, even very young ones, to food handling and cooking gives them a better chance of developing an interest in food preparation. And when children observe and participate in the kitchen, they can develop cooking skills that will provide a better foundation for adult life. Cooking means:
- Preparing meals and snacks from fresh, frozen or canned staple foods (while limiting the consumption of ready-to-eat foods)
- Getting children to observe, handle and prepare food from a very young age
- Optimizing the budget by planning meals based on reduced-price foods and leftovers
Eating as a family
Eating meals as a family promotes healthy and balanced eating. It increases the amount of fruit, vegetables, milk and substitutes, and whole grain products consumed. Family meals are also linked to a reduced consumption of ready-to-eat foods, fried foods, sweetened beverages, sweets and fat.
Eating as a family leads to healthier lifestyle and dietary behaviours, including eating breakfast more regularly. It is linked to a reduced risk of eating disorders, drug, alcohol problems and obesity.
Family meals promote family bonds. They strengthen relationships between family members, the feeling of belonging and family values, and decrease stress and tension.
In other words, family meals improve children's emotional, physical, motor, social, moral, cognitive and language development.
Focusing on these 3 behaviours early in children's lives will improve their emotional, physical, motor, social, moral, cognitive and language development, while mitigating the impact of food insecurity.
The Olo approach: proven effective
The efficacy and cost effectiveness of Fondation Olo’s first 25 years of operation were highlighted in a study by economics researchers Catherine Haeck and Pierre Lefebvre of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). The article was originally published in the scientific journal Labour Economics in May 2016.
The study showed a number of positive results throughout a child’s life.
Results right from pregnancy
- Access to healthy foods and multivitamins
- Development of a trusting relationship between the parents and the Olo care provider
- Easier access to healthcare and community resources
- Improved eating habits
- Better nutritional education
- Families who feel heard, supported and equipped
Results observable at birth
- Fewer low-birth-weight babies
- Fewer developmental delays
- Less postnatal anemia
- More breastfeeding
- Less postnatal depression
Many long-term benefits
- Reinforcement of parenting skills
- Improved eating habits
- Greater parent-child attachment
- Improved child development at every level
- Less obesity and chronic illnesses
- Better chances of succeeding in school