Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume V Part 38

To find the total number of calories required for these activities, the weight, in pounds, is multiplied by the calories per pound for 24 hours for a certain activity. Thus, as in Table IV, if a person weighing 130 pounds sleeps for 24 hours, the number of pounds of weight, or 130, would be multiplied by 12, which is the number of calories required per pound in 24 hours for sleeping. However, since only 8 hours is occupied by sleep and 8 is 1/3 of 24, the required number of calories would be only 1/3 of this number. In this way each item is worked out in the table, as is clearly shown by the following figures:

For sleeping .............. 130 X 12 X 1/3 = 520 For sitting ............... 130 X 14 X 1/6 = 303 For standing .............. 130 X 17 X 1/12 = 184 For walking ............... 130 X 20 X 1/12 = 216 For moderate work ......... 130 X 24 X 1/3 = 1,040 Total, as in Table IV ..................... 2,263

40. In this connection, it may be interesting to know the ideal weight for persons of a given height. Table V shows the various heights for both men and women, in inches, and then gives, in pounds, the correct weight for each height. When, from this table, a person determines how far he is above or below the ideal weight, he can tell whether he should increase or decrease the number of calories he takes a day. For persons who are under weight, the calories should be increased over the number given in Table III for the normal individual if the ideal weight would be attained. On the other hand, persons who are overweight should decrease the number of calories until there is sufficient loss of weight to reach the ideal. Of course, an adjustment of this kind should be gradual, unless the case is so extreme as to require stringent measures.

In most cases, a slight decrease or increase in the quant.i.ty of food taken each day will bring about the desired increase or decrease in weight.

TABLE V

CORRECT WEIGHT FOR CERTAIN HEIGHTS

=================================== Men | Women -----------------+----------------- Height | Weight | Height | Weight Inches | Pounds | Inches | Pounds --------+--------+--------+-------- 61 | 131 | 59 | 119 62 | 133 | 60 | 122 63 | 136 | 61 | 124 64 | 140 | 62 | 127 65 | 143 | 63 | 131 66 | 147 | 64 | 134 67 | 152 | 65 | 139 68 | 157 | 66 | 143 69 | 162 | 67 | 147 70 | 167 | 68 | 151 71 | 173 | 69 | 155 72 | 179 | 70 | 159 73 | 185 | | 74 | 192 | | 75 | 200 | | ===================================

41. EFFECT OF s.e.x ON DIET.--The difference in s.e.x does not affect the diet to any great extent. Authorities claim that persons of opposite s.e.x but of the same weight and engaged in the same work require equal quant.i.ties of food. But, in most cases, the work of women is lighter than that of men, and even when this is not the case women seem to require less food, probably because of a difference in temperament. That taken by women is usually computed to be about four-fifths of the amount necessary for a man. The proportion of food substances does not differ, however, and when individual peculiarities are taken into consideration, no definite rules can be made concerning it.

In the case of boys and girls up to the age of young manhood and womanhood, the same amount of food is required, except for the difference in activity, boys usually being more active than girls.

42. EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON DIET.--The climate in which a person lives has much to do with the kind of diet he requires. In the extreme North, the lack of vegetation makes it necessary for the inhabitants to live almost entirely upon animal food except during the very short warm season.

Consequently, their diet consists largely of protein and fat. Under some circ.u.mstances, a diet of this kind would be very unfavorable, but it seems to be correct for the people who live in these regions, for generations of them have accustomed themselves to it and they have suffered no hards.h.i.+p by doing so. It is true, however, that races of people who do not live on a well-balanced diet are not physically such fine specimens as the majority of persons found in countries where it is possible to obtain a diet that includes a sufficient supply of all the food substances.

43. In hot countries, the diet consists much more largely of vegetables than any other cla.s.s of foods. This means that it is very high in carbohydrate and comparatively low in protein and fat. As can well be understood, a diet of this kind is much more ideal for a warm climate than a diet composed to a great extent of animal foods.

44. In temperate zones, the diet for both summer and winter seasons varies according to the appet.i.te of the inhabitants themselves. Usually a light diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and a small amount of meat is found the most desirable for summer weather, while a similar one with a larger proportion of meat is the usual winter diet.

On the whole, the desire for food, which, to a certain extent, is regulated by the climate, can be trusted to vary the diet fairly well for the existing conditions.

45. EFFECT OF AGE ON DIET.--The proper diet for infancy and childhood is a matter that must be discussed by itself, for it has practically no connection with other diet. It is also well understood that up to maturity there is a difference in the diet because of a difference in the needs of the body. However, from maturity up to 60 years of age, the diet is altered by the conditions already mentioned, namely weight, size, s.e.x, climate, and work or exercise. At the age of 60, the amount of food required begins to decrease, for as a person grows older, the body and all of its organs become less active. Then, too, there is a reduced amount of physical exercise, which correspondingly reduces the necessity for food. At this time, an oversupply of food merely serves to overwork the organs, which being scarcely able to handle the normal quant.i.ty of food certainly keep in better condition if the amount of work they are called upon to do is decreased rather than increased.

It has been estimated that persons 60 years of age require 10 per cent.

less food than they formerly did; those 70 years old, 20 per cent. less; and those 80 years old, 30 per cent. less. Usually the appet.i.te regulates this decrease in food, for the less active a person is, the less likely is the appet.i.te to be stimulated. However, the fact that there is also a great difference in persons must not be lost sight of.

Some men and women at 70 years of age are as young and just as active as others at 50 years. For such persons, the decrease in quant.i.ty of food should not begin so soon, nor should it be so great as that given for the more usual cases.

46. As there is a decrease in quant.i.ty with advancing years, so should there be a difference in the quality of the food taken. That which is easily digested and a.s.similated is preferable to food that is rich or highly concentrated. Usually, it is necessary to increase the laxative food in the diet at this time of life, but this matter is one of the abnormalities of diet and therefore belongs properly to medical dietetics rather than to a lesson on normal diet.

DIET FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN

47. From birth until a child has attained full growth, the food requirement is high in proportion to the size of the child. This is due to the fact that energy must be supplied for a great deal of activity, and at the same time new tissue must be manufactured from the food taken. It should be remembered, too, that all body processes during growth are extremely rapid. At birth, the average child weighs about 7 pounds, and for several days after birth there is a normal loss of weight. In a few days, however, if the diet is correct, the child begins to increase in weight and should gain about 1/2 pound a week until it is 3 months old. From this time on, its weekly gain should be slightly less, but it should be constant. If the weight remains the same or there is a decrease for a number of consecutive days or weeks, it is certain that the diet is incorrect, that the quant.i.ty of food is insufficient, or that the child is ill. The reason for the loss should be determined at once and the trouble then corrected.

Normal diet for the infant is the mother's milk, but if this cannot be supplied, the next best diet is modified cow's milk, which for the young child must be greatly diluted. If it is found necessary to give proprietary, or manufactured, foods, raw food of some kind should be used in addition, the best way to supply this being with a little orange juice or other fruit juice. At the age of 3 months, this may be given in small quant.i.ty if it is diluted, and then the amount may be gradually increased as the child grows older.

48. EFFECT OF WEIGHT ON CHILDREN'S DIET.--The food requirement in the case of children is determined by weight. To decide on the proper amount, it is necessary to know the normal weight at certain ages. At birth, as has been stated, the normal weight is 7 pounds; at 6 months, 15 pounds; at 1 year, 21 pounds; at 2 years, 30 pounds. The food requirement for 24 hours per pound of weight is as follows:

CALORIES 24 HOURS Children up to 1 year.......................... 45 Children from 1 to 2 years..................... 40 Children from 2 to 5 years..................... 36

From a study of these figures, it will be noted that there is a gradual decrease in the required number of calories per pound as the child grows older. The decrease continues until maturity is reached, and then the scale for adults applies.

49. EFFECT OF AGE ON CHILDREN'S DIET.--A child should not be kept exclusively on milk for more than 6 or 8 months, and then only in case it is fed on the mother's milk. Fruit juice, which has already been mentioned as an additional food, is recommended if the diet requires raw food or if it is necessary to make the child's food more laxative. When the child reaches the age of 6 months, it should be taught to take foods from a spoon or a cup; then when it must be weaned, the task of weaning will be much easier. At the age of 8 or 9 months, depending on the condition of the child, small amounts of well-cooked, strained cereals may be added to the diet, and these may gradually be decreased as the food is increased in variety. Up to 1-1/2 years of age, a child should have 8 ounces of milk three times a day, which amounts to 1-1/2 pints.

At this age, half of a soft-cooked egg or a spoonful or two of tender meat chopped very fine, may be given, and for each such addition 4 ounces of milk should be taken out of the day's feeding. But from 1-1/2 years up to 5 years, at least 1 pint of milk a day should be included in the diet.

At a little past 1 year of age, a normal child may begin taking a few well-cooked vegetables, such as a bit of baked potato, a spoonful of spinach, carrot, celery, green peas, or other vegetables that have been forced through a sieve or chopped very fine. At 1-1/2 years, the normal child should be taking each day one vegetable, a cereal, b.u.t.tered bread or toast softened with milk, eggs, fruit juice, a little jelly, and plain custards. However, each of these foods should be added to the diet with caution and in small amounts, and if it appears to disagree with the child in any way, it should be discontinued until such time as it can be tolerated.

In case a child is being raised on a formula of cow's milk and it is a strong, normal child, it should be taking whole milk at the age of 8 or 10 months. If the child is not strong, the milk may still be diluted with a small amount of sterile water, but this should be gradually decreased until the child is able to tolerate whole milk.

50. FEEDING SCALE FOR INFANTS.--It is, of course, a difficult matter to make definite rules for the feeding of all children, for conditions arise with many children that call for special plans. However, for children that are normal, a feeding scale may be followed quite closely, and so the one given in Table VI is suggested.

TABLE VI

FEEDING SCALE FOR INFANTS

First Three Months

Milk.

Fourth Month

Same as for preceding months and orange juice and cereal waters.

Sixth Month

Same as for preceding months and well-cooked and strained cereal.

Eighth Month

Same as for preceding months and beef juice, beef broth, and yolk of soft-cooked egg.

Tenth Month

Same as for preceding months and unstrained cereal, half of soft-cooked egg, both white and yolk, chopped or strained cooked vegetables, such as spinach and other greens, asparagus, carrots, celery, and squash, stale bread, crackers, toast and b.u.t.ter.

Eleventh Month

Same as for preceding months and well-cooked rice, baked potato, jelly, plain custard, corn-starch custard, and junket.

Twelfth Month

Same as for preceding months and whole egg, a tablespoonful of tender meat, string beans, peas, turnips, onions, chopped or strained applesauce, stewed prunes, and other fruits.

Eighteenth Month

Same as for preceding months and home-made ice cream, plain sponge cake, milk soups, and cereal puddings.

This scale is to be used by adding to the diet for one month the foods suggested for the next month, giving them at the time the child reaches the age for which they are mentioned. For instance, a child of 8 months may have everything included in the first three, four, and six months and, in addition, beef juice, beef broth, and the yolk of a soft-cooked egg, which is the diet suggested for the eighth month. Then at the tenth month it may have all of these things together with those given for this month.

51. When any of these foods is first added to the diet, much care is necessary. Each new food should be given cautiously, a teaspoonful or two at a time being sufficient at first, and its effect should be carefully observed before more is given. If it is found to disagree, it should not be repeated. If at any time a child is subject to an attack of indigestion, its diet should be reduced to simple foods and when it has recovered, new foods should be added slowly again. In the case of any of the ordinary illnesses to which children are subject, such as colds, etc., the diet should be restricted to very simple food, and preferably to liquids, until the illness has pa.s.sed. The diet of a baby still being fed on milk should be reduced to barley water or a very little skim milk diluted with a large amount of sterile water. When the illness is over, the child may be gradually brought back to its normal diet.

DIET FOR THE FAMILY

52. One of the difficulties of every housewife having a family composed of persons of widely different tastes and ages is the preparation of meals that will contain sufficient food of the correct kind for all of them. Children up to 6 years of age usually require something especially prepared for their meals, except breakfast, but, as a rule, the selection of the diet for children from 6 years up to 15 or 16 years of age is merely a matter of taking from the meal prepared for the remainder of the family the right amount of the various foods. Tea and coffee should not be included in the diet of growing children, and should under no circ.u.mstances be given to small children. If the proper method is followed in this matter, no difficulty will result, but where children expect to eat the food served to the others at the table and are not content with what is given to them, it is better not to feed them at the same table with the adults.