546 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



For the reasons given previously, we believe the values for Squad B 

 normal may be properly assumed to represent the values for Squad A 

 normal, and the computations are thus made in table 143. The 

 distance walked remained the same in all tests. The body- weight in 

 all tests decreased. The total heat output required to walk 10 km. 

 decreased with the 12 men of Squad B 14.8 per cent. With the 11 men 

 of Squad A, whose period of reduced diet was much longer with a much 

 greater loss of body-weight, it decreased 22.7 per cent. This decrease 

 represents in both cases a pronounced fall in the total energy require- 

 ment for the transportation of the individual over a given distance. 



^Average of 11 subjects. 



It thus appears that the demonstrated decrease in the metabolism 

 of these individuals, when resting quietly, and when standing quietly, 

 is also noted in walking, and that the organism can walk at much less 

 expenditure of energy with low diet. This of itself is an extremely 

 important practical point. From earlier experiments of Durig and 

 his school, who have studied the effect of superimposed loads, one may 

 reasonably assume that with the reduced diet the individual can not 

 only walk a given distance, but can transport a load equivalent to 

 the loss in body-weight at no greater expenditure of energy than was 

 noted prior to the diet reduction. In this sense there would be a 

 distinct economic gain, for each kilogram of body-weight lost may now 

 be transported in the form of effective external load and the total 

 energy requirement or expenditure not exceed that prior to restriction. 



When one considers the organism as a system of levers and attach- 

 ments for performing muscular work, and that during the process of 

 weight reduction these levers have decreased in weight with, in conse- 

 quence, a lessened demand for energy for their movement, it can be 

 seen that the lighter the member, other things being equal, the more 

 effective the mechanical operation. 



Of special significance, however, is a consideration of the values for 

 the heat output per horizontal kilogrammeter, i. e., for the same 



