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The Variety and Acceptability of the Diet

16. The adequacy of a diet does not, however, depend solely on its calorie value and nutrient content. The diet must be sufficiently varied and attractive to ensure that it is eaten in adequate quantity. In this connexion it cannot be too strongly emphasised that lowering of morale and reduction in working efficiency precede the stage at which definite and continuing hunger is experienced. Moreover, many examples are available (particularly from experience in the services) of volun- tary reductions in food intake below essential calorie levels even in the midst of plenty where the food was monotonous and unpalatable-or even unfamiliar. It is therefore essential, if full working efficiency is to be maintained, to provide the population with a reasonably varied and palatable diet.

17. Table 2 shows the comparative patterns of the national diet in the immediate pre-war years, in the two most stringent war years (1940 and 1941), in 1947 and in 1950--the best post-war year, side by side with the most recent estimate for 1952. It has already been pointed out (paragraph 13) that comparisons with 1947 cannot furnish valid evidence regarding the adequacy of the diet. The same point applies to comparisons with 1940 and 1941. Compared with 1950, and of course even more strikingly with pre-war, the 1952 estimates show, however, reductions in most of the more attractive foods.

18. To view these reductions in better perspective, two further tables have been prepared. Table 3 compares the 1952 estimates with the pre-war food con- sumption of six main income groups. Table 4 provides a similar comparison with the general pre-war trends since 1880.

19. From Table 3 it will be seen that in 1952 the estimated national average levels of consumption of meat, bacon, cheese, sugar and oils and fats will be not far removed from those of the lowest income group of the pre-war period, some of whom were unemployed, while others had to support disproportionately large families. Indeed, the only substantially higher figures in 1952 were those for eggs, for milk (desirable nutritionally, but not a stable adult food) and potatoes-on which supply statistics are in any event of doubtful accuracy.

20. From Table 4 it will be seen that the 1952 estimates show similar unfavour- able comparisons with consumption trends since 1880. Total meat consumption will be well below and butter consumption roughly comparable with the estimated 1880 figure. Cheese and sugar consumption will have reverted to the 1909 level and fat consumption to the 1924 level. Indeed, the general pattern of the diet (particularly if, as may well be anticipated, the flour consumption increases in 1952 above the 1950-51 level) will be comparable to that of fifty years ago except for a more liberal supply of eggs and (not shown in the table) a higher consumption of milk.

Ministry of Food, S.W. 1, 17th June, 1952.

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