GOOD HEALTH.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20903, 10 July 1933, Page 9

GOOD HEALTH.

* IMPORTANCE OF DIET j EMPHASISED. WHERE NEW ZEALANDERS ERR. "An analysis of the food consumed in New Zealand and an investigation of diet in many individual cases of malnutrition point to a national diet with an excess of meat, white bread, biscuits, scones, cakes, sugar, jam, and tea, all of which are seriously deficient in mineral salts and vitamins," said Mr H. E. Longworth in an address to the fortnightly lecture session of the Workers' Educational Association on Saturday night. "These things are eaten at the expense of a sufficiency of milk, eggs, cheese, whole grain cereals, vegetables, and fresh fruits," he declared. To determine the value of different foods, Mr Longworth went on, a medimal man in England had carried out experiments with a group of growing fcoys in an institution there. The boys were kept, for periods ranging from one to three years, on a basic diet that was considered physiologically adequate, and careful notes were taken of their rates of growth in height and weight. Then lor a further period of two years they were divided into groups, according to their ages. One group was kept on the basic diet, while to the diet of the other groups were added respectively, one pint of milk, one and three-quarter ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, one and three-quarter ounces of vegetable margarine, three-quarters of an ounce of casein (milk protein), and three-quar-ters of an ounce of fresh watercress. The rates of growth were studied as before, and one of the most important things proved was that the addition of extra building material (protein) had little, and in some cases, no influence. The foods rich in vitamin A, however, such as milk, butter, and watercress, had a definite effect, the improvement in the rate of growth being greatest in the case of cows' milk. Mr Longworth then described the process by which food reached the stomach and the evils which resulted from carelessness in the selection of the article to be eaten. In conclusion, Mr Longworth spoke about another important phase of the subject, which he described as "muscle tone." Certain muscles of the body were constantly in a state of slight longitudinal tension and relapsed completely only in death or in states of profound unconsciousness. This constantly maintained tension was called muscle tone. "A certain amount of this tone is essential," said Mr Longworth, "to keep the skeleton stable against collapse under the weight of the body. In addition the tension keeps the muscles ready to respond immediately to sudden calls to movement. It is always desirable to have the tension in a state of the highest efficiency, and the way to do it is to stimulate the action ox. the nervous system by .exposing the body to cold air and cold water." Mr Longworth illustrated his address with blackboard drawings and personal demonstrations, and at the conclusion he was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Mr W. T. Conibear.