BOYS ON DIET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19905, 27 September 1926, Page 12

BOYS ON DIET.

IN THK CAUSE OF SCIENCE. NOVEL EXPERIMENT. In a village 11 miles from London is a. conumintiy of youngsters who should have a medal for sacrificing their naturally healthy youthful appetities on the altar of science. For four yea is, by strict dieting, they have been helping towards the solution of a problem which (the Daily Chronicle says) the Medical Research Council, in its report, describes as one of great social value and national importance. They have been helping to find the ideal diet for boys during school age. Hence they have abstained from toffee and given apples and all tuckship delights. The groups of boys lived in model cottages, and while a large number lived on the basic diet of the village and gained an animal average of 3.85ib in weight and I .St inches in height, boys in other cottages received additional rations. The result of the increased rations showed this annual difference; Inc. Inc. Added ration. weight, height. Pint cow's milk G.981b 2.63 in 3oz. castor sugar 4.931 b 1.94 in IJoz grass-fed New Zealand butter G.3o!b 2.22 an Ditto veget, margarine .. 5.211 b 2.84 in Joz edible casein 4.011 b l.TGin Joz fresh watercress .. .. 5.421 b l.TOin Why the milk, which was pasteurised, should have made such a remarkable difference to the ordinary diet is not certain "We may come to attribute it to vitamins, but it may be due to other factors,” comments the report. All the boys experimented upon were English in parentage, and of the type to be found living on the south side of the Thames. The first noticeable feature of the milk-fed lads was their improved tone and “spirit.” Dr Carry Mann, who supervised the scheme, with the help of women assistants, declares ,‘f-hcy were obviously more fit than those of the other groups.” The improved spirit of these boys led to them being more often in trouble tor minor offences against order. No measurable indications were found of their having greater proficiency at school work. On the other hand, their high spirits were a sign of healthy boyhood, and the investigation showed how little extra was required of certain foods to improve the nutritive xahie of schoolboys’ diet.