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(e) Malnutrition.—I have commented upon nutrition, and I would like here to
deal with one or two subsidiary points in regard to malnutrition. Firstly, I would
wish to point out that although lack of food may certainly be the chief cause in some
cases, it is not the only cause from which malnutrition arises. An unbalanced diet
is quite capable of bringing about malnutrition, and, of course, there are some
people who by reason of some physical peculiarity are unable to assimilate all the
constituents of a proper diet.
Secondly, I would point out that lack of sleep is also a cause of malnutrition.
It is during sleep that growth and repair take place, in contrast to the daytime
when energy is being expended at the maximum rate. In this connection noise
nuisances cannot be over-estimated. Wireless sets can cheat many children of their
proper sleep, and the more children there are who are out of bed when they should
be in bed and the more the streets are turned into playgrounds, so will the quality
of the sleep of those who do go to bed early be impaired.
Although you have done a considerable amount to promote the consumption
of milk in Barking, I refer, of course, chiefly to the distribution of milk through
your Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme and to the Education Committee who
arrange for the distribution of milk in the schools, there is not nearly enough milk
consumed in Barking. I would like to see the amount at least doubled.
Fresh vegetables too should be more easily available and should be fresher
than they are in Barking. It is surprising to find that peas which are picked just a
few miles out of Barking are taken all the way to the London markets, and then
brought all the way back to Barking, and no doubt this happens with other
vegetables too. Everybody knows that vegetables which have been recently picked
and carefully handled are altogether different in taste from those which have
undergone such a journey.
It would be to the good if in this way or in that, probably by joint action with
other authorities, a wholesale market for perishable commodities could be built
somewhere near Barking.
Our statistics in regard to malnutrition only deal with school-children and are
as follows:—
Of 6,242 children examined by routine at school medical inspection, 9 were
found to be suffering from malnutrition, 164 were found to have slightly sub-normal
nutrition, 4,087 normal nutrition, and 1,982 with excellent nutrition.