Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-02-14
MaInuhition Is
Serious Problem
MARY q.

Al least 20 and according TO
soma estimates possibly 33 per cent
of the school children OF the Uniteo
states are suffering from malnutr4-
tion. as general physical underos
velonment is commonly designated
savs the advisory committee on
foods and nutrition of the National
child Health Council in report tnaL
will soon be published by the Unlteu
States Public Health Service, Whlcn
co-operated in its preparation.
Malnutrition, continues the report
is not confined to any one class OF
race: in some cities it is apparently
as prevalent in the homes OF the wen
to DO than in those or persons VI
more limited means. The conoltlon
Ia evidenced, not only by weight anu
growth records but also by hstIess-
ness, lack of color, guinness, anu
Sometimes by restlessness and rrl-
liability. -.
It is due chiefly to physical de-
facts. faulty habits, or environment.
or physical defects the most COM
mon are distractions (adenoids, for
instance) in the nose or throat,
which interfere with breathing; ana
decayed teeth, which breed germs
and interfere with chewing. Wnen
| such defects are remedied many
| children will develop normally.
Faulty food and health habits are
| also important causes of malnutrl-
ton. They include too little food
| the wrong kind of food, and bad
| food habits, whether due to ignor-
| ance, poverty, or lack OF home dlsci-
pline: and also faulty posture N
standing. sitting, or walking, al OF
which Interfere with the norma!
functioning of important organs OF
the body. Such habits can De cor
rected by proper exercises, WHICH,
however, should be carefully con-
trolled as otherwise they may prove
harmful.
EnyironmentaI conditions, which
interfere with sufficient sleep, lack
Of fresh air, and even constant nag
| gins may cause underdevelopment
and their correction may result in
| remarkable gains.
| Gases of rnalnutrition that do not
| yield to simple corrective measures
| NAV REQUIRE prolonged medical su"
! pervision; and. in any event, preven-
! tative measures are much better
| than curative ones. Health educa-
ton in the schools will go long
way toward preventing malnutrition,
| not only in the pupils themselves
but will also, II the results are
brought energetically to the atten-
| ton Of parents, usually react to the
| benefit OF younger children OF pre-
| school age. And the younger the
| child the more easily are proper
| health habits learned and the more
valuable they are.
| Health education may also be
| spread by well-qualihed speakers,
| by magazine articles, moving pic
| lures, health plays, and exhibits that
| vividly bring home the results OF
| malnutrition and the often anna
| naalnutrition and the often anaaz-
rective measures.
In this connection may be In
stanced the news just received by
| the U. S. Public Health Service OF
the very marked success of a nutri-
tion exhibit sent by 1t to Brazil as a
part of the International Centennial
Exposition now in progress at Rio
de Janeiro. This exhibit consists
Of two tables, at each of which two
large dolls supposed ten years OF age
sit at dinner. The meals spread for
them look equally appetizing. One
Of them, however, includes no milk,
no green vegetables, ana no fresh
fruit. The dolls at this table are
a little better dressed than those at
the other table; but their faces,
though they still show evidence of
former beauty, are colorless and
their eyes are duh and are under
lined heavily with dark half-moons.
The dolls at the other table, On the
other hand, are rosy-cheeked, bright
and laughing.
The effect both on parents and
children was very striking. Day
after day the space before the ex-
hibit was crowded by mothers or
teachers, pointing out to wide-eyed
children the difference in the ap-
pearance of the children" (dolls)
who drank milk and ate proper food
and those who did not. And a very
large proportion OF the adult viSi-
tors came back again and again
bringing other children with them.
MEDIUM BROWN HAIR looks best Of