THE DAY’S WORK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20498, 28 August 1928, Page 6

THE DAY’S WORK.

MOST DONE IN THE MORNING.

INTERESTING INVESTIGATION'S

Interesting investigations have been undertaken during the last few months to determine the amount of work performed by groups of individuals at different hour* of the day.Araong the classes of people observed were factory workers, clerical and office employees, executives of retail and manufacturing enterprises, students in colleges and universities, children in primary schools, and, finally, household workers.

Charts compiled from these studies showed that 70 per cent, of the useful work of the day was performed during four or five morning hours, the hours between breakfast and luncheon. Only about 30 per cent, of the day’s work was done in the afternoon.

It was further observed that many manual workers and office or clerical employees slowed up their work towards mid-morning. Some suffered headaches; others nausea, all due to lack of sufficient nourishment to carry them on with full vitality to the noon meal. The investigations made among colleges and schools produced similar data. In general, students were more receptive to study during the morning than during the afternoon. Yet here too, there was a noticeable let-down during the last hour or two before noontime. Energy was being drawn upon without being properly replenished by the morning’s food. It was found in most cases that the workers and students who were subject to these mid-morning lapses took virtually no actual nourishment in the morning. When asked what they ate for breakfast, they would almost invariably reply that a roll or bread with tea or coffee formed practically their entire morning meal. The overwhelming evidence of loss to both employee and employer, to student as well as to teacher, which the investigations produced, led educators, executives, doctors, and dietitians to join in a plea for a first meal sufficiently substantial to properly sustain the body throughout the morning hours.

It is important to everyone, therefore, to know what kind of food most quickly replenishes the energies of the body after a night’s sleep: what food is quickly digested, yet builds sound muscular tissue and supplies the system with energy to carry on through the morning hours. The mass of evidence shows that white rolled oats is an ideal food for this purpose. Oatmeal contains 16 per cent, protein —vegetable meat—the element which builos muscles. The oat contains more of this important growth-element than any other cereal grown. It contains half again as much as wheat; 60 per cent, more than wheat flour, over twice as much as cornmeal.

Besides protein, oatmeal is rich in carbohydrates, which supply energy. It has minerals and an abundance of vitamin B, so necessary to health. It retains, too, the roughage to lessen the need for laxatives. Many authorities agree that the oat is the best balanced food that grows. Oatmeal for the first meal of the day, therefore, is health insurance. It is one of the surest means available to increase the physical and mental capacities ef every member of the family. It is a food which can be relished, and yet one which contains the essential elements of perfect nutrition. Oatmeal, too, contrary to the popular belief, is not heatening to either blood or lx>dy.