NUTKIT10N INVESTIGATIONS. 465 



The main outcome of these investigations of the amount of food 

 consumed may be expressed in two statements. The differences in 

 diet are in part such as would commonly come with the differences in 

 the actual food supply in the markets, but the} 7 are influenced, to some 

 extent, by race habits, and, to a still larger extent, by the material 

 conditions of the consumer, including, especially, the income. The 

 number of the insufficiently fed in the poorest parts of New York and 

 Chicago is .smaller than one would naturally suppose. The common 

 opinion of physicians that a great many well-to-do people eat more 

 than is best for their health is confirmed by comparison of the dietary 

 studies with the commonly accepted standards of physiological demand. 



The studies thus far made of the negroes and of the whites of the 

 poorer class entirely confirm the general impression that the staple 

 products are corn meal, pork, and molasses. The quantity of protein 

 in such a diet is far below what is commonly believed by physiolo- 

 gists to correspond to the normal demand. The practical consensus 

 of physiologists is that one thing greatly needed for the improvement 

 of the material condition of these two large bodies of our fellow-citi- 

 zens is a diet which will supply more protein. Fortunately this is 

 entirely possible. It can be brought about by the more general use 

 as food of leguminous plants, as the cowpea, and of home-grown beef. 



It is interesting to note that the few dietary studies thus far made 

 of the Chinese on the Pacific coast, who are supposed to have very 

 much the same food as they do at home, contains a liberal amount of 

 protein. This is contrary to the common opinion that the food of the 

 Chinese consists mainly of rice and is especially deficient in protein. 



One of the interesting results of the observation of the food of the 

 people of the congested districts in New York and Chicago is that the 

 errors in the dietary are due more to ignorance and the lack of wise 

 economy than to lack of money. 



WAYS IN WHICH THE RESULTS OF DIETARY STUDIES MAY BE 



USED. 



Some of the more important and more noticeable results of dietary 

 studies have been noted in the preceding paragraphs. How can these 

 results be applied to the benefit of the individual, the class, or the human 

 race? There are many ways in which this can be done. Perhaps one 

 of the most important of these is in instruction concerning the nutritive 

 value of the different food materials and their pecuniary economy. 

 People should be taught how to improve their diet by the economical 

 purchase of food materials best adapted to their physical needs. It 

 will be found that by exercising care in the purchase and preparation 

 of food a palatable and relatively inexpensive diet may often be obtained. 

 Much is already being done along this line in many of the large cities, 

 where the cost of many food materials must alwa} T s be relatively high. 

 H. Doc. 334 30 



