THE HEAVY WORKER'S DIET
By PROFESSOR A. V. HILL, M.P., F.R.S.
IN the debate on War Production in the House of Commons, on July 29th, the Prime Minister stated that " allowances must be made for the very severe change in the diet of the heavy manual worker. . . . There has been no hunger . . . but no one can pretend that the diet of the British people, and especially of their heavy workers, has not become far less stimulating and interesting than it was a year ago. . . . We have been driven back to a large extent from the carnivore to the herbivore. That may be quite satisfactory to the dietetic scientist, who would like to make us all live on nuts, but undoubtedly it has produced, and is producing, a very definite effect upon the energetic output of the heavy worker."
In the debate on coal, on August 5th, ten speakers referred tt the need of miners for better food and feeding-arrange- ments. The chief demand from the miners' representatives was for canteens at the pit-heads, and for increased rations of certain foods. Among other speakers, Sir Douglas Thom- son asked, " Do the Ministry of Food agree to the proposition that the miner requires more food? Has the Minister, per- haps, been faced in his efforts to get more food with the report of some body of scientists who say that so many vitamins are all that is required? "
It would be a pity if a failure to realise earlier the special nutritive needs of miners were covered up by an attack on " dietetic scientists," who may now—quite falsely—be sup- posed to have advocated a diet of nuts or vitamins for heavy manual workers. The term " scientist," of course, is apt to be adopted, for purposes of advertisement, by anyone with a cranky notion to sell, or a profitable fraud to exploit. The Ministry of Food, however, and the Cabinet, are, in fact, advised by a number of serious and experienced scientific people, who are very well aware of such facts as the fol- lowing: (t) That the heavy manual-worker uses far more energy, and therefore requires more food, than the sedentary worker— how much more can easily be determined in any given case ; (2) That this extra energy cannot be supplied, without com- pelling a drastic and undesirable change in dietary habits, simply by adding unrationed foods like bread, potatoes and turnips ; (3) That a heavy manual-worker, accustomed to the diet of Western Europe and America, needs at least 20% of his energy to be derived from fat ; for a man requiring 5,000 calories per diem (twice the requirement of a sedentary worker) this means about four ounces of fat daily in some form or other—an impossible amount on present rations ; (4) That digestion waits on appetite, and appetite upon reasonable variety and care in the preparation of food ; and that a meal eaten with relish and satisfaction keeps a man in better heart than one consumed only as a duty.
It is not scientists, but cranks, who believe that heayy workers can exist on nuts, lettuce and vitamins. Scientific advocacy of the wheatmeal-loaf is based, not chiefly on its greater content of B vitamins, but (a) on the superior quality of its proteins, and (b) on the great saving of wheat result- ing from the higher extraction. Scientists welcome the promise from the United States and the Dominions of concentrated foods, like cheese, bacon and dried milk, of high nutritive value ; and they trust that these will be distributed to those who need them most.
These considerations refer particularly to the nutritional needs of heavy workers. In most trades the changes in which we have all undergone are not a significant cause diminished output ; indeed, it would be highly danger in general to lead people to suppose that an imaginary la of proper food is a sufficient cause for slacking. The Price Minister, we know, among his other amiable characteristic has a profound belief in the virtues of the roast beef of England. On the whole, however, apart from that, most us are being fed just about as well, from the physiologic{ standpoint, as in ordinary times; when the wheatmeal-le is generally available—if we are sensible enough to use we can be somewhat better fed. Food difficulties, in gene:: are rather a nuisance and a waste of time than a sere; hindrance to national efficiency.
There are special classes, however, of heavy workers, special conditions of whose life make special provision nec, sary, and what is said here about miners' food applies • large degree to some other heavy industries. It admitted that the petrol-ration must depend on horse-power of the car ; why not the same with ire:. The armed forces are provided with special food-ration: canteens are available now in many works ; and all who afford to go to restaurants and national kitchens can ob extra and well-prepared food. The plea, therefore, that co, miners, and certain other heavy workers, who are exert a greater horse-power than the rest of us, should have spec provision made for them, is one which cannot in logic, just or expediency be resisted. Practical people and scienti alike will support the urgent request of the miners' reprt sentatives that canteens should be established as soon possible at all coal-mines.
In other countries, with long nutritional traditions differe from ours, e.g., in Italy and China, heavy workers exist diets which, according to British standards, are far poorer quality than our own. In a generation or two our min might conceivably learn to live on rice or spaghe with added soya bean or olive oil—or even on no but no serious scientist imagines that the change-01 could be made quickly. Heavy manual workers, even nit than the rest of us, are usually very conservative in their diet habits ; and we must remember that men who are do strenuous bodily work for long hours, without mu opportunity for recreation, if given uncongenial food, may I not only appetite and the digestion which waits on it, also the feeling of contentment which a decent well-sell meal supplies. Such a meal, their representatives urge. best be provided for the miners by canteens at the pit-he for which special and appropriate rations will be available.
The need fOr an increased coal-output is very urgent. primary necessity is for the return of men, particularly of fa,. workers, to the pits. It is very important, however, to rem all causes of discontent or inefficiency, even if these depend part on enforced changes of custom or habit, as well as actual deprivation. The unsatisfied need for better f and better feeding-facilities is an important and justifiat factor in the discontent which, we are assured, exists. can be met if canteens are provided on P* priority, and in other practical way. But let no one palm off the bl for not providing them on the scientists. It is not they W regard special treatment for special cases as a nuisance administration.
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