DIET AND NUTRITION OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.' 



By Hans Aeon. 

 {From the DeiMtrlnient of Physiology, Philipfine Medical School, Manila, P. I. 



A study of the food and nutrition of a people is of great importance, 

 both from a hygienic standpoint and from that of the intelligent 

 practice of medicine. On the one hand, a large number of those 

 microorganisms which we recognize as the cause of different diseases 

 are introduced into the human body with the food. On the other hand, 

 the quality and quantity of the food consumed is the fundamental factor 

 in the maintenance of a normal and healthy condition of the body. It is 

 the latter phase of the question which will receive consideration in this 

 paper. 



The study of the nutrition of a tropical people has an especial scientific 

 interest, because our knowledge of this subject is quite limited. 



The first point to be considered is the nutritive value of the food 

 measured by its content in proteins and fuel substances, such as carbohy- 

 drates and fats. Prom the fact that a great part of the ingested food is 

 burned, in order to maintain the normal temperature of the body, it has 

 been argued that the number of calories needed by the body in a hot 

 climate is less than the quantity required by the same body in a cold 

 climate. This statement has met with widespread acceptance and has 

 even found its way into scientific papers. I believe it is possible to show 

 that this is not in accordance with the facts. 



There are two main factors which regulate the heat of the human 

 body — the one is the production of heat by combustion of organic 

 material; the other is the loss of heat which takes place, either by 

 conduction or radiation of heat from the surface of the body or by 

 evaporation of water from the lungs and skin. Of minor importance 

 is the warmth of the ingested food or the inspired air. The lower 

 the temperature of the atmosphere, the greater is the relative amount of 

 heat lost by conduction and radiation. Above 36° to 37° C. no heat can 

 be lost in this way, and only water evaporation can lower the body 



* Read at the Sixtli Aiimuil Meeting of tlie Pliilippiiic Islands Medical As- 

 sociation, Febiuavy 12, 1909. 



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