Children’s Diet during the Early Stages of the Nutritional Transition. The Foundlings in the Hospital of Valencia (Spain), 1852–1931

Francisco J Medina-Albaladejo,Salvador Calatayud

doi:10.3390/ijerph182211999

Francisco J Medina-Albaladejo, Salvador Calatayud

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211999

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Abstract

The nutritional transition brought about profound changes in the nutrition of the European population in the 19th and 20th centuries. The predominant consumption of cereals gave way to kilocalorie-, protein-, vitamin- and mineral-rich diets that involved a greater intake of animal products. However, not all population groups underwent this transition at the same pace; socio-economic conditions, sex and age led to important inequalities. This article uses institutional sources to analyse the nutrition of children during the early stages of the nutritional transition and to compare it with that of other age groups (adult psychiatric patients). The study examines the average diets and nutritional balance of foundlings in the Hospital General de Valencia from 1852 to 1931. The main conclusion of the study is that, throughout the period under study, foundlings were exposed to a poor, traditional diet, characterized by structural deficits and imbalances. This may have affected their physical growth, health and biological wellbeing in adulthood, and demonstrates that the nutritional transition was anything but a homogeneous process.

Highlights

Over the last century, an intense historiographical debate has discussed the evolution of the living standards of the working class during the process of industrialization, involving the examination of demographic, economic, anthropometric and wellbeing indicators.Within this broad historiographical trend, increasing attention has been paid to the evolution of alimentary patterns and changes in diet structures
It is reasonable to ask if all population groups enjoyed the advantages of the nutritional transition and to determine the effect of inequality factors such as socio-economic status, sex and age [8,9]
In the 1920s, hospital diets improved in general, but that of foundlings did so less than the rest, as they rarely incorporated the new animalbased foods that were becoming more common in the context of the early stages of the nutritional transition

Summary

Introduction

An intense historiographical debate has discussed the evolution of the living standards of the working class during the process of industrialization, involving the examination of demographic, economic, anthropometric and wellbeing indicators.Within this broad historiographical trend, increasing attention has been paid to the evolution of alimentary patterns and changes in diet structures. In Spain, this process began later than in other European countries, owing to a belated economic and industrial development This slowed down a series of processes that the specialised literature has identified as key for the nutritional transition, including increased income levels, improved production and distribution of animal products, scientific–technical advances and urbanisation, among others [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The nutritional transition and its kilocalorie-, protein- vitamin- and mineral-rich diets improved the nutrition of the Spanish and European populations This had a direct effect on mortality rates, life expectancy, height and health [7]. It is reasonable to ask if all population groups enjoyed the advantages of the nutritional transition and to determine the effect of inequality factors such as socio-economic status, sex and age [8,9]

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