CHILDREN’S DIET

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 281, 26 August 1942, Page 2

CHILDREN’S DIET

Importance Of Protective Foods Malnutrition was a word misused tociay under-nutrition being a more correct term, said Miss Samson, charge nurse of the Plunket Society in Wellington, 'speaking on children’s upbringing at a luncheon meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Womens Food Value League. Poor buying and cooking of food, social and financial problems, wrong perspective on the part of parents, and their failure to realize certain essentials when raising children, were some of the contributing causes. There were many lovely babies, mostly fit up till .18 months of age, among whom a physical falling-off was apparent later. Kindergarten and school medical reports revealed an unsatisfactory position vvith regard to children’s tonsils and adenoids, •and in dental clinic reports only 5 per cent, of the children examineci were without dental caries. There was an increasing number oi “behaviour” problems among children, not only in New Zealand but elsewhere. The main causes for this were to be found in parents’ ignorance. Old prejudices died hard ; in spite of radio, platform and Press publicity, the mass ot the people still required enlightenment on children’s problems, rich and poor alike. Some did not want to learn. It was amazing to find the numbers ot poor women who bought expensive joints of meat, with not much money left over for fruit and vegetables. Many did not know how to cook brains, sweetbreads, kidneys and liver, which were included in the protective food group. In New Zealand a small amount of fish was eaten, anfi there was prevalence of goitre; Japan had no goitre problem and was the largest fish-eating country in the woriu. in Italy, where teeth generally were good, only 91b. of sugar a head per annum were consumed ; teeth were bad generally in the Dominion, where 1121 b. of sugar a person was used a year. The importance of protective roods in the dietary was stressed by Miss Samson. At least a pint and three-quarters of milk was required daily, one egg three times a week, meat, fish, liver, or brains on other days. Cheese, butter, wholemeal bread (several days ® ll *o fruit, and vegetables were needed, vegetable water was valuable and must not be thrown away. Cod liver oil or some vitamin D concentrate was necessary, specially during winter months. Ibis helped to prevent dental caries guarded against infection, and helped bone for-

mation. All children should be trained to drink water between meals. Mrs. Andrews, Lower Hutt, was in the chair. A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker at the conclusion of the lecture.