The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-11-21
Bureau of Labor Statistics Show
SO Per Cent Don't Eat
Enough.
STUDY the FAMILY BUDGETS
Gather Considerable Data Showing
Relationship Between the Budget
and the Health of the Family
HALF Are We'll Nouriehed.

Washington.-The bureau of labor |
statistics of the United States depart
ment of labor, in its countrywide in
vestigation of the cost of living in
l91S-19l9, secured itemized budgets
from approximately 1900 families.
Special intensive studies of each OF
the major items of expense in the fam
lily budget have been, or are being
made. Considerable data showing the
relationship between the family bud
get aud the health of the family are
already available.
Detailed dietary analysis Of the food
Of 9S3 families, selected at random
from IL representative cities, indicates
| that 21.2 per cent of these families
purchase less than $500 calories of
food per man per day; 40 per cent Of
these families less than 5000 calories,
and 74.5 per cent less than $500
calories.
Allowing for considerable variation
from the recognized standard of 5000
calories purchased per man per day,
these figures point to the fact that APP
proximately 20 per cent Of the fam
lilies are purchasing food entirely in
sufficient for the maintenance OF
health, 80 per cent are on the border
line between sufficient and insufficient
nourishment, and so per cent are n
all probabilities well nOurished.
A study Of the total yearly income II
| 81 NJ hno I
out these conclusions, 44.6 per cent o
the total number of white families in
Guided In the investigation were re
ceiving annual incomes of $1,000 o
more, and were probably Getting al
adequate and reasonably balances
diet, opt per cent Of the families wer
receiving annual incomes Of less thai
$1,000, which Is wholly inadequate t
permit Of the purchase of sufficien
food for family of average size, leaN
. ing 327 per cent of the families in tn
income group of 81, 200 to $500, wher
the food necessary for an average fan
lily would be subject to serious curtai
ment.
Deficient IN Milk, Eggs, Fruit.
A sufficient number Of calories, hoy
ever does not necessarily mean wei
balanced ration. Many Of the die
aries in which $500 calories were pu
chased, were seriously deficient
milk, eggs, green vegetables and fru
4 From a cursory examination of Il
clothing expenditures reported in tn
investigation, 1T was estimated that
yearly average of 800 per adult ma
n would probably result. Further stu
N has shown that this estimate was t
n liberal. During the last two yea
q clothing purchases have been cut.
q A careful study of the clothing bu
n gets Of GAL families having childr
n under fifteen years Of age, and livi
81 in Northern cities, shows an avera
Il yearly expenditure Of $6S.33 for t
N clothing Of the husband and $55.75
N the wife. In Southern cities, the av
n age for POT families, similarly chos
81 shows $3.50 for the husband and $62
81 for the wife. While the clothes p
81 chased for these sums may be su
? cient to keep the wearer warm, it
certain that decency and health c.
~ not be maintained on such small o
=, lay for clothing.
VIC Judged by the standard that oy
crowding begins when there is m
. than one person per room, consid
=. able proportion of the families incl
n ed in this investigation must
classed as overcrOwded. A study
a been made of 2.455 families living
"a relyed houses in "a different cities.
n sifty per cent of these had less Il
$# one room per person, II per cent
2 less than OF of room per pers
Isl and per cent less than 0.5 of re
b; per person. Very little informal
E# was gathered which will give con