Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-12-12
MANY FAMILIES
ARE UNDERFED
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 Well Nourisned.

and the Health of the Family
HALF Are Well Noursned.
WashingtOn.--The bureau Of labor
statistics of the United States depart
ment of labor, in lis countrywide M
vestigation of the cost of living IN
19lS-1919 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 and the health of the family are
already available.
Detailed dietary analysis Of the food
of 9S3 families, selected at random
from II representative cities, indicates
that 2l2 per cent Of these families
purchase less than $500 cal0ries OF
food per man per day; 40 per cent Of
these families less than 5000 calotieS,
and TAO per cent less than $500
calories
Allowing for considerable variation
from the recognized standard of 5000
calorles purchased per man per day,
these figures point to the fact thar 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
ltsn 4
all probabilities well nourished.
A study Of the total yearly income in
relation to the food budget also bears
out these conclusions. 44.6 per cent Of
the total number of white families ill.,
cuded in the investigation were re-
ceiving annual incomes of $1,000 or
more, and were probably getting an
adequate and reasonably balanced
diet, 22.7 per cent of the families were
receiving annual incomes of less than
$1,000, which is wholly inadequate to-
permit of the purchase of sufficient
food for family of average size, leav-
ing 1921 per cent Of the families in the
income group of 81, 200 to $500, where
the food necessary for an average fam.
lily would be subject to serious cuitail.
ment.
Deficient in Milk, Eggs, Fruit.
A sufficient number Of calories how.
ever, does not necessarily mean a Welt
balanced ration Many OF the diet
aries in which $500 calories were pur-
chased, were seriously deficient in
milk, eggs, green vegetables and fruit.
From a cursory examination of the
clothing expenditures reported in this
investigation, it was estimated that a
yearly average of 500 per adult male
would probably result. Further study
has shown that this estimate was too
liberal. During the last two years
clothing purchases have been cut.
A careful study of the clothing bud
gets Of 64l families having children
under fifteen years of age, and living
In Northern cities, shows an average
yearly expenditure Of $6S.33 for the
clothing of the husband and S55.75 for
the wife. In Southern cities, the aver
age for 207 families. similarly chosen,
shows $3.50 for the husband and S'i2oS
for the WIFE While the clothes pur-
chased for these sums may he sutIi-
cient to keep the wearer warm, it IL
certain that decency and health can
not be maintained on such a small out.
lay for clothing.
Judged by the standard that over.
crowdng begins when there is more
than one person per room, consider.
able proportion of the families includ-
ed in this investigation must be
claSsed as overcroWded. A study has
been made of 2,455 families living ID
rented houses in - different cities.
Fifty per cent of these had less than
one room per person, IT per cent had
less than OF Of Il room per person,
and per cent less than 0.5 of Il room
per person. Very little information
was gathered which will give cnnclu-
gons as TO housing conditions from
sanitary standpoint. In New Orleans
however. 81 per cent of the III white
families included in the investigation
lived in houses without bath rooms
Miscellaneous items which include
expenditures for care of health cduca-
Won, amuSemcntS, insurance premiums
and numerous other items of n miSccl-
laneous nature, comprise from II to Il
per cent Of the family budget the
amount increasing uniformly with in
crease in income.
Details From Thirty Cities.
Detailed data on miscellaneous cx-
nenses for 30 representative cities
have been compiled. IN these various
cities the yearly expenditure per fam
lily for health, which includes doctor,
dentist, hospital, ocuiSt, medicines,
ranged from an average Of $312T 10
S9277 the mean being Approximately
sos.
The corresponding figure on amusp.
ments, which Includes movies. plays, =,
concerts, excursions. vacations. ranged
rom an average of S191 to 5000 per
VAR per family with Il mean Of be-
'een $l7 and SIS.
Vhe average yearly expenditure per
lilly for education and uplift, which
Ndcs newspapers, magazines, books,
pl tuition, music, ranged from
TO $2757, the mean being ab-
matcly @17