DIETARY STUDIES OF HARVARD STUDENTS, 



INTRODUCTION. 



In connection with regular university work a stud}^ was made of 

 dietar}' conditions at Randall Hall, which is the smaller of the two 

 large college commons of Harvard University and furnishes board for 

 1,000 students. The institution is self-supporting and managed by the 

 student boarders with the cooperation of the college authorities, and is 

 designed to aid students of limited means, the object being to furnish 

 board on the European or a In. carte plan at the lowest possible figure. 



The results of the study above mentioned, although rendered some- 

 what doubtful by certain necessary assumptions, seemed to establish 

 a strong probability that some of the students boarding at Randall 

 Hall were living and working creditably upon a daily ration consid- 

 erably below the accepted standards for men of sedentary habits. It 

 was thought that further and more accurate dietary investigation, with 

 observations upon the physical and mental life of these men, might 

 bring to light some interesting and perhaps useful facts. Accordingly 

 the investigations reported in the following pages were undertaken. 



The students examined were all in moderate circumstances; many 

 of them paid their wav through college by outside work and some had 

 to practice the strictest economy. It would have been desirable for 

 purposes of comparison to include several men to whom econoui}^ in 

 the matter of diet was no object; but the small compensation that it 

 was possible to hold out to them was not sufficient to induce such men 

 to serve as subjects. All those who agreed to serve were earnest and 

 interested in the work, and it is largelv due to their patient coopera- 

 tion that the carr3ang out of the investigation was made possible. 



GENERAL PLAN. 



Ten students (designated for convenience A, B, C, etc.) who lived at 

 Randall Hall, and whose board bills ranged from medium to very low 

 sums, were chosen as subjects. These men were put under examina- 

 tion sinmltaneously three times during the college year for periods of 

 three weeks each. The first period began with breakfast on Novem- 

 ber 30, 1900; the second period February 14, 1901, and the third or 

 last period May 8, 1901. During each period of study such daily 



(3) 



