LIVING ON 3/6 A MONTH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 154, 17 July 1937, Page 15

LIVING ON 3/6 A MONTH

Tbe normal diet of millions of persons in India is a ppund of rice, one cnnce of milk, one ounce of pulse, two ounces of vegetables and balf an onnce of oils and fats. Tbe cost of tbis daily diet is the equivalent of 3/8 a montb, Tbis is tbe disclosure in a little pampblet on tbe "Nutritive Value of Indian Foods and the Planning of Satisfaetory Diets," issued by the Government of India. It is pointed out tbat this diet is not only ill-balaneed but insuffieient. A well-balanced diet would be one of, say, 10 ounces of rice, five ounces of millet, eigbt ounces of milk, tbree ounces of pulse, 14 ounces of, vegetables, two ounces of fats and oils and two ounces of fruits. But tbe trouble (

is tbat tbis diet would cost 7/6 % montb. Tbe pampblet notes tbat many residential institutions for children in India are very sbort of money and bave often to feed tbeir boarders on the equivalent of 3/- per bead per montb, or even less^ and tbat it is impossible to supply a really satisfactory diet for such a sum. A suggestion is made tbat if people cannot alford whole milk, tbey sbould try skimmed milk. "Careful experiments bave showA tbat tbe giving of eigbt ounces of skimmed milk daily lo children fed oa an average ill-balanced Indian diet re-? sults in an acceleration of growth ani a great amprovemcnt in health and wellbeing. Sucb an addition-is not very eostly."