Diet of Modern Girls

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 161, 11 July 1939, Page 2

Diet of Modern Girls

A DOCTOR’S WARNING Modern girls, who sacrifice proper meals in order to spend their money on permanent waves, cosmetics, dancing, and the pictures, were warned of the danger to their health by Dr. F. Temple Clive in a lecture to women, tuberculosis visitors, and hospital nurses, given at King’s College Theological Hall, London, reports the Sunday Observer.

The modern tendency to speed, he said, had enormously increased the strain on the resistance of the individual. A typical young adolescent girl, porbably having had no proper breakfast, travelled to work in any weather in a crowded bus or train, and worked for eight to 10 hours. Her lunch consisted of a few sandwiches, and when she turned home in the evening she might or might not have a proper meal awaiting her. Later she would probably go to some unhealthy, crowded atmosphere in a cinema or dance, and return homo late and exhausted to snatch a few houra of sleep.

At week-ends, instead of resting or taking graduated exercise, the girl would often cycle a long distance to the coast for “a breath of fresh air.”

“These long cycle rides are a great mistake,” said Dr. Clive, “and are far more likely to cause a breakdown in health than to improve it. It cannot see how these girls get any benefit from those rides when they go so far and so fast, with all the fumes and dust on the road.

“I am sure that this club cycling, when, they set out to go a specified distance in a specified time, is bad. Hiking as a good thing, provided they do not go too far.”

After pointing out that the wage earned by the average girl was often poor, Dr. Clive went on:

“But rather than buy herself adequate food, she will spend her money on unneessary luxuries, such as hairdressing and cosmetics. Moreover, she must be. in the fashion, and will wear inadequate clothing, with silk stockings and thin, high-heeled shoes, in all weathers.

‘ ‘ The girl will become run-down, and will often waste her money on quack remedies rather than btiy herself a good, square meal.” Health hints given by Dr. Clivo stressed the importance of a good night’s rest, a substantial breakfast and midday meal, milk, fresh fruit, and green vegetables, and sensible clothing. He praised the nourishing qualities of fish and chips, but condemned excessive tea drinking. “I am a tea drinker myself,” he con* fesesd, “but I think that a lot of tea is drunk unnecessarily in this country. It has a definitely depressing effect on the appetite, and I think people would do a lot better without so much tea.”

Dr. Clive lamented the “present-day lack of appreciation of good cooking,” and declared that insufficient attention was paid to cooking meals.

Recourse was too ofteu made to the tin-Opeher, and such meals as were prepared were ofton badly cooked. “I would discourage the purchase of tinned foods, which, although quite safe and nourishing, lead to laziness and a lack of appreciation of the importance of good cooking,” he said.