[Sidenote: Data of foods consumed daily by various people]
In order to give the reader some idea of the results obtained, when data is kept each twenty-four hours, of the amount of food consumed by various people on the conventional diets of civilization, I will select at random some of the results that have been recorded in these investigations, and will give in the Vieno System the approximate results. (See "Vieno System of Food Measurement," Vol. III, p. 639):
California Football Team 66 375 New England Rowing Club 40 255 Wealthy Class in American Cities 30 250 U. S. Army Rations. 37 200 Farmers, Eastern U. S. 34 160 Skilled laborers, U. S. Cities. 40 220 Alabama Negroes 34 145 Japanese Peasants 20 100
[Sidenote: Atwater's Government Standards]
From such records Government standards have been roughly approximated. The standards published by the Government, computed by Prof. Atwater, and commonly known as the Atwater standards, are as follows, expressed in vienos:
Man at hard muscular work 55 280 Man at hard work 41½ 240 Man at moderate work 34 200 Man at light muscular work 30½ 180 Man of sedentary habits 27 160
The Atwater standard for women is estimated to be four-fifths of the amount of food required for a man under similar conditions.
[Sidenote: Faulty standards due to inexperience]
It is generally recognized by investigators that these so-called standards are faulty, but by mutual agreement it seems that they have been accepted as the best that could be given. They lack accuracy because the men who prepared them lacked experience. Accuracy can come only from experience gained in the practical work; that is, in prescribing food, and combinations of food, for people under all the varying conditions of age, climate, and activity, and having these people report, at stated periods, the results of their dietetic prescriptions.
[Sidenote: Importance of correct dietary standards]
The average person eats what is set before him and asks no question about nitrogen and energy; nevertheless, advice so universally distributed as the Government Dietary Standards must exert much influence and have a considerable effect upon the habits of the people. Obviously the correctness of these standards is of vital importance to the health and the welfare of the nation.