[Beprinted from THE SCIENTIFIC MONTHLY, May, 1919.] 



BIOMETRIC STANDARDS FOR ENERGY 



REQUIREMENTS IN HUMAN 



NUTRITION 



By Dr. J. ARTHUR HARRIS and Dr. FRANCIS G. BENEDICT 



CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON 



ONE of the primary requisites in all of the exact sciences is 

 the establishment of standard bases of comparison. For 

 aiecade the Nutrition Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution 

 o Washington has been engaged in the precise investigations 

 wdch must underlie the establishment of such standards in 

 hman nutrition. 



This is an undertaking of the greatest practical importance. 

 I] times of peace, industrial efficiency and the physical well 

 ing of the population demand exact knowledge of the amount 

 ail proportion of the different kinds of food which should be 

 tr.en by the individual. If communities or nations are to be 

 siingently rationed during periods of emergency, it is also 

 messary to know the minimum amounts of food required to 

 mintain health and efficiency. 



The problem is also one of great complexity. Aside from 

 al questions concerning the chemical composition, digestibility 

 ail other physiological properties of the various foods, there 

 ai a large number of problems concerning the characteristics 

 ofhuman individuals which must be taken into account. 



For example, it is obvious that those who are engaged in 

 seere muscular work must consume larger quantities of food 

 suplying energy than those who are less active. It might 

 sen reasonable to suppose that larger individuals would re- 

 qire more food to carry on their normal activities than those 

 wl) are physically smaller. It is a matter of common observa- 

 ti(t that older men and women demand smaller rations than 

 thse in the earlier stages of life. 



roL viii. 25. i 



