Challenges and opportunities for surveillance data to inform public health policy on chronic non-communicable diseases: Canadian perspectives

A number of major challenges face surveillance systems in the field of chronic disease. The complex interplay of risk factors and determinants that result in chronic disease is calling into question traditional surveillance systems in terms of what is collected to inform policy decisions. At the same time, the complexity presents an opportunity to broaden the evidence base on which arguments can be based for chronic disease intervention to increase their potential to influence policy makers. This article describes some initiatives in Canada to enhance the capacity and utility of surveillance systems and their associated data to inform policy making in the field of chronic disease.