MALNUTRITION RISES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 3

MALNUTRITION RISES

Dominion School Children

By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 21. Malnutrition among school children in New Zealand last year showed a slight increase, 5.61 per cent, as against 5.48 per cent in 1933. That position is disclosed by figures compiled by the director of the division of school hygiene. It is explained that slight rise is very largely due to the fact that the proportion of children included I rem primer classes (which, as a general rule, show a slightly higher percentage of malnutrition) is greater than in 1933. “While, however, taking the Dominion as a whole the percentage of children found to be suffering from malnutrition shows no noteworthy increase. special groups of the community demand further consideration.’’ states the director. “Children inhabiting the poorer crowded quarters of cities show lack of vitality and absence of resistance to disease, necessitating remedial measures. In rural districts constant outdoor toil is often demanded iron: all members of the household,

including the mother, and as a result meals are irregularly prepared and hours ot sleep inadequate.

“Where there have been years of struggle and anxiety the psychological factor has to be considered, especially in those families whose scale of living is monotonous.

“Ilecords kept over a period of years show that in 1928 the percentage of malnutrition noted in the routine examination of school children throughout New Zealand was 6.82 in 19'29, 7.06 in 1930, 6.30 in 1931, 6.68 in 1932, 5.48 in 1933, and in 1931 5.64.