374 



ISIDOR GREEXWALD 



DENMARK 



TABLE IV. SYNOPSIS OF 



FINLAND 



FRANCE 



8 Includes oleomargarine. 7 Corrected for waste. * Includes other vegetables. * Figures in italics refer to foodlconsump- 

 tion per woman, not per man equivalent. lo Sundstrom gives other figures but he used othe. factors for energy values of 

 food. " Gautier calculated food consumption of 2 women and child of 7 as equivalent to that of one man. 



variation is there among individuals and what are the factors responsible 

 for such variation ? 



There have heen many observations published on the food con- 

 sumption of individuals and of groups living on their customary diet, 

 which is sometimes called a "freely chosen diet." In reality there 

 is no such thing. Man's choice is limited by his geographic and 

 economic situation, to say nothing of such thing's as food habits and prej- 

 udices acquired early in life. Just as was his primitive ancestor, though 

 to a lesser degree, modern man is limited in his choice by his environment. 



Among the earliest reports that are sufficiently accurate to be of any 

 considerable value are those of Liebig on the food of Bavarian woodchop- 

 pers. Similar studies were made by Play fair, by Meinert, by Moleschott 

 and by others but the greatest impetus to the study of the food habits of 

 the people appears to l>e due to the work of Voit. Basing his opinion 

 upon the results of previous investigators and upon the actual food con- 



