Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17
FOOD AND HEALTH
BIZ WINIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

There Is one conflict that we should
all like to see continue, and that is
the war against malnutrition. Incl
dentally, we might be surprised II we
could trace the connection between
undertaking and those terrible wars
that have devastated the world
throughout the ages. An ill-fed people
is a people ready to fight. SO that the
war we may wage now against this
evil of malnutrition may be one
| means of bringing about world peace.
We are too apt to think only Of
food when our minds are directed to-
ward undertaking. The mother
whose child brings home a card mark.
ed "Undernourished" Is often the
mother who rises In her wrath to de-
claim: 1.-The very idea! AS II Jack
ways get the best for my family!
And. besides. Jack eats twice as much
as Julia and nobody talks about her
being undernourished"'
Now the chances are that the mother
is perfectly right on every count!
Probably she does provide the best.
No doubt Jack does eat twice as much
as Julia. and it Is equally within the
limits of proba bility that Julia is up
to normal in weight and that she gives
every other indication Of complete
nutrition.
What is the answer?
Were We permitted to follow Jack
and Julia throughout one OF their
lively days we might easily find the
answer.
Suppose we watch Jack first, from
the time he goes to bed the night
before! When mother says, 80 o'clock.
Jack. Bedtime. There Is perhaps
an explosion. II don wanna go to
bed" And being a modern" mother,
one who believes In allowing her chill
dren to express themselves" his
mother let's Jack have his way. He
goes to a movie. the ''late show"
comes home keyed with excitement
which IS the sequel Of Western"
eats before bedtime lunch or what.
ever he chances to find in the ice
box. and. being a high-strung child,
losses for an hour or more before go
ing to sleep.
Next morning. as a natural conse-
quence, he sleeps over, is so peril
ously near being late for school that
he dashes through a hasty breakfast,
with no relaxation. is 50 tired from
his insufficient hours Of sleep and the
restless character of such sleep as he
does get that he takes no part in
the healthful outdoor games with the
other boys. His lunch Is a self.select-
ed meal and he eats but a fraction Of
1t. Dinner that night is partaken Of
in over-large quantity, and Is rushed
through to get on to another hectic
frolic. and then the same story begins
all over againi
Now for Julia.
She has been out of doors every
minute possible. and when bedtime ar
rives she tumbles sleepily into bed
She sleeps nine hours and hops JOY
ously down to breakfast, which she
eats in a leisurely fashion. The school
lunch is enjoyed and. when, after
another day of we'll balanced work
and outdoor play is over. her dinuer
is eaten quietly and once more She
is ready for long night. No movies
for Julia. She says the lights and
the jazz make her sick and she is
literally right Not sick, perhaps, in
| the sense in which she uses the term,
but sick none the less. For her grow
| ing body is robbed of the relaxation,
! the rest that is needed to make it
| possible for her digestive system to as
simulate the good food provided by a
careful mother.
OF course she is better nourished
| than Jack!
1t is of vital Importance that we
learn this lesson-the fact that there
| Is more to this matter of malnutrition
than food. More than weight, also
| important danger signal 8 this is-a
tagging gait. a "slouching" posture,
clammy skin and "pasty color'-aIl
these are signs of trouble ahead. Rest,
long hours of sleep, frequent bathing
| and outdoor exercise, plus good food.
and old malnutrition will stink away
| to limbo!
Copyright. 1920