DEFICIENT DIET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 6

DEFICIENT DIET

- CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN LOWER STANDARD OF HEALTH The diet/of nearly half Britain's population is deficient in vitamins and minerals. This is the conclusion of Sir John Bojd Orr, the nutrition expert, after a long and patient investigation into the nation's food habits and. expenditure. In his report, "Food, Health and Income," he states: The important aspect of the survey is the inadequacy of the diets of the lower income groups and the markedly lower standard of health of the people, and especially of the children, in these groups, comI pared with that of the higher income groups. Nearly 5,000,000 people can spend only 4s each a week on food. Nine millions can spend only 6s each. -As income ascends and more fresh food, is introduced, the risk of disease is lessened, and the health of mothers and the rate of growth of children is improved. /. To make the diet of the poor adequate for full health, it would be necessary to increase consumption of eggs, butter, fruit, vegetables and meat in a large section of the population by 25 . per cent. In the poorest group the average consumption of milk per head each week is under two pints, ?n the wealthiest group it is five and a-half .pints. The poorest spend on an average less than 2£d each a ■week on fruit; the wealthy class, Is Bd. The average diet of the poorest group, comprising 4,500,000 people, is, by the standard adopted, deficient in every constituent examined. The second group, comprising 9,000,000 people, is deficient in all the vitamins and minerals. The third group, comprising another 9,000,000, is deficient in several vitamins and minerals.