864 REPOKT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



SOME RESULTS OF THE NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 



It is difficult to measure the results of scientific investigations in the 

 usual units, particularly when the data sought are in a considerable 

 degree educational. ^Vlien, as in the case of nutrition investigations, 

 the results have also a very decided practical value and are capable 

 of application on every farm and in every home, such an estimate of 

 values is even more difficult. An idea of the returns given for the 

 money invested may be gathered from the fact that since the institu- 

 tion of the investigations in 1894-95, the total sum appropriated for 

 this work has been $222,500. The total number of dietary studies 

 made has been 485, each study having covered from tlii'ee to thirty 

 days. The total number of digestion experiments with men has been 

 675, and in general each experiment has covered three days. Supple- 

 menting this phase of the work 300 artificial digestion experiments 

 have also been made. The total number of metabolism experiments 

 has been 500, of which 88 have been experiments with the respiration 

 calorimeter. These latter experiments have covered a total of 270 

 experimental days. The total number of cooking experiments has 

 been nearly 200. 



In addition to the above, a number of miscellaneous experiments 

 have been made for the stud}^ of special problems, and the studies of 

 pedagogical problems have likewise been numerous. 



As a result of the work 30 farmers' bulletins and 50 technical bulle- 

 tins have been published, as well as numerous short popular summaries. 



In earlier statements " which have been published, attention has 

 been called to some of the important results of nutrition investigations 

 and at this time reference will be made to some of the later work. 



DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD MATERIALS IN THE DIET. 



Food habits vary greatly in different regions of the United States, 

 and articles of diet which are popular in one region are almost miknown 

 in another. There are certain staple foods, however, such as meat and 

 bread, which are obviously common to all regions, and it is generally 

 conceded that such staple foods are the principal sources of nutritive 

 material in the diet. The proportion of nutrients and energy w hieh 

 different classes of food materials supply in the diet of the average 

 American family is a matter of considerable interest, and the table 

 which follows and which is based on the results of 370 dietary studies 

 gives results which may be regarded as fairly conclusive. 



a Some Results of Dietary Studies in the United States. Reprinted from U. S Dept. 

 Agr. Yearbook, 1898. 



Scope and Results of the Nulrilii.n Investigations of the OfHce of Experiment Sta- 

 tions. Reprinted from U. 8. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Ann. Rpt. 

 1901. 



Investigations on the Nutrition of Man in the United States. U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Doc. No. 713. 



