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This scale has been arrived at on the basis—.
(а) that a child of ten years represents the average unit in a family with children attending
an elementary school.
(b) that such a child requires an average minimum amount of food to maintain physiological
equilibrium and support its growing needs.
The results of the experiences of various workers and of the Committee of the Royal Society
which investigated the food supply of the United Kingdom during the War, show that the dietary
requirements of the nation cannot be satisfactorily met per man per day on a less supply in the food
as purchased than
100 grammes protein,
100 grammes fat, and
500 grammes carbo hydrate.
The average school child of ten years requires .6 of the food requirements of a man, that is
to say,
60 grammes protein,
60 grammes fat, and
300 grammes carbo hydrate.
The dinners given by the Willesden Education Committee have been devised by the Medical
Officer on a physiological basis and provide the following daily average :
27 grammes protein,
19 grammes fat, and
114 grammes carbo hydrate.
It will therefore be noted that the meals to be provided at home will require to make good
a deficiency of
33 grammes protein,
41 grammes fat, and
186 grammes carbo hydrate.
This can be done by providing a breakfast and tea such as the following:—
Breakfast—Porridge 2 ozs., milk 3 ozs., sugar 1 oz., tea oz., bread 2½ ozs., margarine ½ oz.
Tea—Cocoa ¼ oz., milk 1¼ ozs., sugar ½ oz., bread 4 ozs., margarine ¾ oz.
The cost for food only of the dinners supplied by the Education Committee at present day
prices (April, 1919) is on the average 3.76d. per meal, and the cost of the model breakfast and tea
above shown is for breakfast 2.52d. for tea 1.83d.—total 8.l1d. per day, or 4/8.77 say 4/9 per week.
(c) that in addition to food the child requires clothing, the cost of which according to
tion actually supplied in three families out of 18 which could give satisfactory particulars
investigated, is 1/9 per week. (N.B.—This figure is probably too low. The investigation
in question was made in March, 1918, since when the price of clothing has materially
advanced.)
(d) that the child also requires for its upkeep, lighting and fuel and sundries such as bedding,
crockery, etc. In 18 families fed, which were investigated, these items work out on the
average—lighting and fuel 11d. per head, sundries 5d. per head.