ECONOMICS OF THE FISHERIES 333 



were remarkably constant, the average annual deviations ranging from 1.7 

 per cent (riboflavin or vitamin B^) to 4.5 per cent (ascorbic acid or vitamin 

 C) ; a few of the maxima of deviations were somewhat larger, four out of 20 

 deviations being more than ±10 per cent from the average; here, however, 

 the larger deviations mostly result from significant increases in the late 1930's 

 by the widespread interest in vitamins and minerals in the diet, and by the 

 artificial addition of them to bread, milk, oleomargarine, etc. Prior to that 

 time these deviations were smaller, and of the same order of magnitude as 

 those of weight and energy content. 



The figures above are subject not only to the errors of determination, 

 estimate, and the factors of correction, but include also avoidable and un- 

 avoidable waste, spoilage, and the amounts fed to cats and dogs.^® The totals 

 therefore do not represent, in either weight or calorific or nutritive content, the 

 amounts of food actually consumed, which must have been substantially less. 



The total amount of food available or which disappeared in each of the 

 years and as an average for the entire period considered was well above the 

 Recommended Daily Allowances^" for the United States population as 

 a whole in total energy content and in the quantity of each of the essential 

 protein, minerals and vitamins, indicating that the national dietary, con- 

 sidered as a statistical average, is adequate in both quantity and nutritive 

 content. -° 



While the classes of foods and even the individual food products exhibit a 

 remarkable constancy, there were changes among them which were of such 

 nature as to compensate one another, so that the totals of weight, calorific 

 content and the composition in nutritive elements showed, over all, little 

 change from year to year. 



The major and persistent changes that did occur were mainly decreases 

 in grain products and potatoes, of low water and high energy contents, and 

 corresponding increases in the watery but "protective" citrus fruits and 

 green, leafy and yellow vegetables ; a sufficient increase occurred in fats and 

 sugars to make up the difference in energy content between the watery fruits 

 and vegetables and the high-energy potatoes and dry grains. 



This, the only major and persistent change or trend, did not come about 

 suddenly, capriciously, or accidentally, but was undoubtedly the result of a 

 long-continued pressure of thousands of articles in newspapers and maga- 

 zines, lectures, books, advertisements, radio broadcasts, and educational 



18. Fish alone was canned for dog and cat food to the extent of 63,783,000 net edible pounds 

 in 1948. 



19. National Research Council, Food and Nutrition Board, Reprint & Circular Series No. 129, 

 1948. 



20. The above does not mean that the total food is uniformly distributed and everybody well 

 fed. According to Edward Stieglitz (Book review. Science, Vol. 106, July 25, 1947, p. 92), 28 per 

 cent of the U. S. population were 10 per cent or more over their optimum weight and only 12.8 

 per cent were 10 per cent or more under their mean normal weight. 



