Wartime rationing and nutrition in pregnancy. First communication

Abstract

1. An analysis is made of 238 total calorie, protein, fat and carbohydrate intakes during wartime. These represent the 24 hr. mean of 48 hr. investigations carried out at six-weekly intervals throughout pregnancy on 55 healthy working-class women on self-selected diets. These investigations were carried out from April 1943 to the end of 1946. Throughout this period, ‘wartime’ rationing conditions prevailed.2. The total calorie intake is analysed. 49·8% of the series in the ‘first half’ of pregnancy and 46·9 % in the ‘second half’ of pregnancy were found to be suboptimal according to recognized standards.3. The protein intake is analysed in terms of(a)total intake, and(b)g./kg. body-weight. The latter analysis showed that 33 % of the figures in the ‘first half’ of pregnancy and 46 % of the figures in the ‘second half’ of pregnancy were sub-optimal.4. The percentage of animal protein is contrasted with that of vegetable protein; a satisfactory animal protein percentage is found. The latter is derived partly from the extra pint of milk and partly from adequate quantities of meat, offal and fish. Over 40 % of the women ingested no cheese at all. The remainder consumed relatively small quantities.5. The total fat intake is analysed. Over 50 % showed a fat ingestion of more than 100 g./day.6. The total carbohydrate intake is analysed and the average ingestion found to be below 300 g. An analysis of the amounts of bread eaten per day showed a large proportion of intakes below ½ lb. (225 g.) per day—76 % in the ‘first half’ and 75 % in the ‘second half’ of pregnancy. The potato intake was relatively higher. The mean daily consumption was 191 g. with a maximum of 435 g. A list is also given of the amounts of the other common farinaceous foods consumed.7. An analysis is made of the percentage of total calories accounted for by protein, fat and carbohydrates respectively. When the figures are compared with the accepted standards of 15 % protein, 35 % fat and 50% carbohydrates, the findings are(a)a slight preponderance of low protein intakes, (b) a preponderance of high fat intakes, and (c) a preponderance of low carbohydrate intakes.8. The figures for all three constituents—protein, fat and carbohydrate—compare favourably with those given in prewar surveys of nutrition in pregnant working-class women.