134 A STUDY OF FOODS AND DIETARIES 



time of year, etc. The following table shows the daily fuel needs 

 for several ages and occupations : — 



Daily Calorie Needs (Approximate) 



1. For child under 2 years 900 calories 



2. For child from 2-5 years 1200 calories 



3. For child from 6-9 years 1500 calories 



4. For child from 10-12 years 1800 calories 



5. For girl from 12-14 (woman, light work, also) .... 2100 calories 



6. For boy (12-14), girl (15-16), man, sedentary .... 2400 calories 



7. For boy (15-16) (man, light muscular work) 2700 calories 



8. For man, moderately active muscular work 3000 calories 



9. For farmer (busy season) 3200 to 4000 calories 



10. For ditchers, excavators, etc 4000 to 5000 calories 



11. For lumbermen, etc 5000 and more calories 



How to find whether a Diet is properly Balanced. — We already 

 know approximately our daily calorie needs and about the propor- 

 tion of protein, fat, and carbohydrate needed. Dr. Irving Fisher 

 of Yale University has worked out a very easy method of determin- 

 ing whether one is living on a proper diet. He has made up a 

 number of tables, in which he has designated portions of food, 

 each of which furnishes 100 calories of energy. The tables show 

 the proportion of proteui, fat, and carbohydrate in each food, so 

 that it is a simple matter by using such a table to estimate the pro- 

 portions of the various nutrients in our dietary. We may depend 

 upon having somewhere near the proper amount of each nutrient if 

 we take a diet based upon either Atwater's, Chittenden's, or Voit's 

 standard. One of the most interesting pieces of home work that 

 you can do is to estimate your own dietary, using the tables giving 

 the 100-calorie portion to see if you have a properly balanced diet. 



Food Habits. — Habits play a very important part in our life 

 activities. We should not think much about our daily activities, 

 for once having learned the reasons for performing certain acts, 

 those acts should becom^e habits. The habit of brushing teeth 

 properly, the habit of proper mastication, of the choice of the right 

 kuids and proportions of food, of the avoidance of tea and coffee, 

 — these and other useful acts should become automatic. Some 

 health habits that are worth acquiring are : — 



(1) Have your meals at regular hours. 



(2) Take time to eat and enjoy your meals. Do not bolt your 

 food. 



