Download Nutrition in the United States, 1900 to 1974

[CANCER
RESEARCH
35, 3246-3253, November 1975]
Nutrition in the United States, 1900 to 1974'
Willis A. Gortner
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural ResearchService, National Program Staff, Beltsville, Maryland 20705
Summary
Marginal Nutritional Status
Food and nutrient intakes are being examined for possi
ble relationship to the occurrence or the progress of various
types of cancer in man. This paper describes the state of our
knowledge on the nutritional status of various population
groups in the United States and on the food consumption
patterns and their nutritional
consequences
during the
1900's. Only a few medical studies of nutritional status
have been conducted on a national or even a regional basis.
These extend back less than 2 decades. Dietary informa
tion is available back to the 1930's, and statistical data on
use of food in the United States can be found beginning with
1909. Sources of information are suggested for the use of
and detailed study by the epidemiologist.
During the period from 1947 to 1958 a sizeable number of
regional nutritional status studies were sponsored by the
USDA
and summarized in a publication (12). The bio
chemical, clinical, and dietary studies indicated that the
average nutritional health for various population groups
was good. Less than recommended dietary intakes were
most frequently found for both children and adults for
vitamin A, ascorbic acid, and iron. Rural, low-income
families had diets containing the lowest nutritive value.
Adolescent girls and especially older people tended to be
overweight, and Spanish American and Indian children
frequently had lower heights than average for the popula
Introduction
The past 4 decades have seen a dramatic turnaround in
the overt nutritional health problems experienced earlier in
the century (Chart 1). At the turn of the century, and again
today, deaths from pellagra (a major vitamin deficiency
disease) were almost unknown in this country. Yet, in the
late 1920's and 1930's, there was a very high death rate,
particularly
in the Southern States. Large numbers also
died from scurvy due to a deficiency of vitamin C. Doctors
then could readily find cases of beriberi due to thiamine
deficiency, cases of xerophthalmia
from a deficiency of
riboflavin, or cases of rickets due to a vitamin D deficiency.
Today these major vitamin deficiency diseases have been
eradicated so successfully in the United States that many
doctors never see them and would not recognize them.
Poor nutrition is now more frequently seen in the many
health problems where nutrition has a more subtle involve
ment but is at least implicated in playing a role. Diet, and
especially the lipid components,
is one of the identified
factors in serum lipid levels that are listed as a major risk
factor in heart disease. Diet, and particularly the caloric
intake, is clearly implicated in the major health problem of
obesity in our population. A number of diet interrelation
ships seem to have some role in the problem of osteoporosis
encountered
in the elderly. The current thrust of this
conference suggests that nutrition may indeed play a role in
the incidence of some cancers in man.
â€P̃resented
at
the
Conference
on
Nutrition
May 19to 22, 1975,Key Biscayne,Fla.
3246
in
the
Causation
of
Cancer,
tion.
The
hemoglobin
content
of the blood
in nearly
all the
people examined was fair to excellent (1 1).
A nationwide survey of the nutritional status of preschool
children in the United States was conducted in 1968 to 1970.
A summary of this study (14) suggested that those children
at nutritional risk were mostly clustered among preschool
children of lower socioeconomic status. The major nutri
tional problem confronting those children appeared to be
insufficient food rather than the nutritional quality of the
food consumed. The authors noted the fact that a great
many preschool children whose diets seemed to be quite
adequate were regularly taking vitamin supplements
in
addition. Other surveys show the same.
At about the same time, the Federal Government con
ducted a nutritional status survey encompassing
all age
groups, using a sample drawn from the lowest average
income districts in 10 states (5). One major finding in the
Ten-State Survey was a high prevalence of low vitamin A
values among Mexican Americans. There was a greater
prevalence of unsatisfactory nutritional status among ado
lescents, whereas the elderly showed evidence of general
undernutrition.
Obesity was very frequently observed, and
in some age groups more than 50% of adult women were
found to be obese. Iron deficiency anemia was identified as
a widespread
problem.
Such nutrients
as vitamin
C, thia
mine, and iodine did not seem to pose a major problem
among any of the groups studied.
In 1971 to 1972, a nationwide survey, Health and Nutni
tion Examination
Survey (HANES)
of the nutritional
status of the United States population, ages 1 through 74
years, was undertaken (1). The early, still preliminary data
that have been reported gave evidence of iron deficiency
2 The
abbreviations
Agriculture;
DHEW,
used
are:
USDA,
United
States
Department
of
Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
CANCER RESEARCH
VOL. 35
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Nutrition
in the United States
food disappearance
and nutrient estimates are available
starting in 1909. The figures, of course, do not show which
population groups were most affected by observed shifts in
consumption.
The other source of data is the periodic nationwide food
consumption surveys conducted by the USDA's Agricul
tural Research Service. The 1st such nationwide survey
based on a statistical sampling of households was made in
1936 to 1937. Since then 4 large-scale studies were made in
1942, 1948, 1955, and 1965 to 1966 (4). Currently, plans are
being made for the next survey, possibly in 1976 to 1977. All
Chart I . Peliagradeath rates in the United States.
of these surveys have included assessing food used by
households, and the most recent survey also developed
information
on the food intake of individuals in the
household (2). Data were thus provided on the total nutritive
value of the diets and on the contribution of major food
groups to the total of both households and individuals. The
sampling allowed a breakdown into subgroups of different
incomes, different regions of the United States, and rural
and urban people.
What have been the trends during this century in the
nutrients in the United States daily food supply? The trends
in food uses of protein, fat, and carbohydrate
during the
Some similaritiesand somedifferencesare seenas com past 60 years are shown in Table 1 and Chart 2. The
pared with similar surveys in the United States. The available supply of calories shows minimal change, and the
problem of overweight was evident in a large proportion of proportion of this derived from protein also has not changed
adults. Moderate iron deficiency was also widespread and much. What is clear is that we have steadily been consuming
was observed as a problem for men as well as for infants and more fat and less carbohydrates
in the United States.
women. Some biochemical evidence of a protein deficit was
The declining intake of carbohydrate was also accompa
seen in pregnant women. Apparently,
many girls and nied by a shift in the nature of the carbohydrate (Chart 3).
pregnant women had diets with inadequate calcium and Starch has dropped off at a much more rapid rate than the
vitamin D, but the severity was not such as to lead to total carbohydrate
during these 6 decades. The rather
rickets. Moderate deficits of calcium, vitamin A, and marked rise in sugars and in refined sugar that occurred
vitamin C were particularly noted in the Eskimo and Indian during the 1920's has (after a decline during World War 2)
populations.
By contrast, I of 5 Eskimo adult men was been maintained in the years subsequent to this.
Similarly, we find that the increased amount of fat in our
receiving approximately 4 times the protein intake consid
ered to be adequate.
food balance sheets has been accompanied by a shift in the
type of fat consumed (Table 2). There has been only a small
Nutrientsin the Daily FoodSupply
change in saturated fatty acids in the food supply during the
past several decades. A rather modest increase in polyun
The major sources of data on diets of various United saturated fatty acids (linoleic acid) is seen prior to 1940, and
States population groups have been the studies conducted
a noticeable increase in the polyunsaturated
fatty acids
by the USDA and the DHEW. The DHEW data represent
during the last 20 years relates to the increase in our
dietary intake information taken during the 3 major nutni
consumption of edible oils, margarine, and shortening.
tional status surveys previously mentioned: the survey of
There now are data showing who is taking this fat into the
preschool children, the Ten-State Survey, and the HANES
day's diet (Chart 4). Dietary fat is peaking in the age 12 to
survey. For the most part, the limited dietary intake
14 group for women and falls fairly steadily thereafter
information
obtained in the DHEW nutritional
status throughout
life. By contrast,
men do not reach their
surveys tended to confirm more detailed and extensive data maximum fat intake until near the end of adolescence,
the
in the USDA statistical compilations and nationwide sur
amount dropping off only after age 20.
veys on food consumption.
Cholesterol appears to have risen to a current level only
Two different approaches have been followed by USDA.
10% above that in United States diets at the turn of the
Using a food balance sheet, the Economic Research Service century (Table 2). During the past 25 years there has been a
regularly makes national per capita estimates of food declining use of eggs, lard, butter, and various dairy
disappearing into United States consumption. From these products but an increased intake of various meat and
statistics, estimates are then made of the amount of the poultry products; thus the cholesterol level has remained
various foods available for use by the civilian population (6, fairly steady during this period.
Our vitamin and mineral consumption has held up well
7). Scientists in the Agricultural ResearchService can then
obtain the nutritive value of the per capita food supply and during this century (Table 3). Calcium, vitamin C, and
thus be able to study trends over many years (10). Annual
vitamin A are at higher levels in our food supply than they
at all age levels. A few population groups, especially chil
dren, showed some biochemical evidence of inadequate
vitamin A. For the most part, however, all age groups
(and for both race and income levels) had apparently
adequate intakes of protein, calcium, vitamin A, and
vitamin C.
Because of the close geographical location and a similar
ity of eating habits and life-styles of Canadians and of
population groups in the United States, it is interesting to
note the recent Nutrition Canada national survey (13).
NOVEMBER
1975
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3247
w.A. Gortner
% OF 1909.13
Table 1
Nutrients contributing food energy available for consumption/day,
J9(J9_J974a
Protein
Year
@
@
@
Food
energy
Carbo
hydrate
Total
Animal
Vegetable
Fat
(calories)
(g)
(g)
(g)
(g)
(g)
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
3530
3490
3470
3470
3460
3440
3430
3380
3330
3380
3440
3290
3200
3430
3440
3460
3450
3460
3470
3490
3460
3440
3390
3320
3280
3260
3200
3290
3260
3260
3340
3350
3410
3320
3360
3350
3300
3320
3290
3200
1949
3200
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
3260
3160
3190
3170
3150
3180
3180
3110
3120
3170
3140
3120
3120
3140
3180
3140
3170
3210
3260
3280
3300
3320
3320
3300
l974b
3350
497
495
488
490
489
483
481
470
469
464
478
457
441
480
466
474
474
478
477
482
471
474
460
448
436
429
436
438
433
433
439
429
443
425
428
426
418
412
412
397
399
402
391
389
386
380
378
378
372
375
376
375
374
373
371
374
371
371
373
378
381
380
380
381
385
388
104
102
101
102
100
98
97
96
96
97
97
93
91
54
52
52
53
52
51
50
50
50
52
52
51
50
94
96
96
51
53
53
95
94
95
94
94
93
92
91
90
91
88
91
52
52
52
51
51
51
50
50
51
52
48
51
90
90
51
51
92
93
53
54
50
50
48
49
48
47
47
46
46
45
45
43
41
42
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
42
42
41
39
39
39
127
124
126
124
125
127
126
126
122
129
130
123
122
129
135
135
134
133
134
135
137
134
135
133
133
134
127
40
133
133
133
139
143
144
140
142
142
138
143
143
140
99
60
102
102
97
94
62
63
62
60
39
40
39
39
39
41
41
39
40
39
35
34
94
60
34
140
94
93
60
59
34
34
33
32
32
32
31
31
31
31
31
31
31
31
31
30
145
139
143
142
142
146
146
141
142
147
143
142
142
145
147
145
30
147
31
31
31
30
30
30
31
31
150
154
154
157
158
158
155
158
94
55
97
100
56
59
94
61
95
94
95
62
63
64
96
65
95
64
94
63
95
95
95
64
64
64
94
96
64
65
97
96
97
98
66
65
67
68
99
69
100
100
69
70
101
71
101
71
68
70
__________________________________________________@
a Quantities of nutrients computed by USDA, Agriculatural Research
Service, Consumer and Food Economics Institute, on the basis of esti
mates of per capita food consumption (retail weight), including estimates
of produce of home gardens, prepared by the Economic Research 5crvice. No deduction made in nutrient estimates for loss or waste of food
in the home, use for pet food, or for destruction or loss of nutrients dur
ing the preparation of food. Civilian per capita only, 1941 to date (6, 7. 10).
b Preliminary.
3248
Ei@::
@in/:
7@I3@__@__J--@LLiLL@@IS@b9'
30
£LLLLLL
.@LLLLLU @.il
190
I
t@
@@&@!iII@
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980
S-YEAR MOVINO
AVUAGI
Chart 2. Changesin per capita civilian consumption(disappearance)of
food energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate, 1909 to 1973. 0, preliminary.
—
Sugor.
—.— Corbohydroto
150
@““-StarcI,
,.-..--
——R.fia.d
Sugar
50
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
5-y_ *,.s
1960
1970
1980
AmaSs
Chart 3. Changes in per capita civilian consumption (disappearance) of
sugars, starch, and carbohydrate, 1909 to 1973. 0, preliminary.
Table 2
Crudefiber andfood lipids availableper capita per day in the United
Statesfood supply
Fatty acidsa
________________________
Oleic Linoleic
Saturated
fat―
acid
acid
(g)
(g)
(g)
(g)
Total
Years
nutrient
Cholesterolc
(mg)
Crudeb
fiber
(g)
1909—1913
1925—1929
1935—1939
1947-1949
1957—1959
125
135
133
141
143
50.3
53.3
52.9
54.4
54.7
51.5
55.2
54.5
58.0
58.2
10.7
12.5
12.7
14.8
16.6
509
524
493
577
578
6.1
5.8
5.5
4.9
4.4
1965
1970'
l974'@―
145
157
158
53.9
55.9
56.0
58.8
63.1
62.9
19.1
23.3
24.2
540
556
4.2
4.2
4.3
aRef 9.
b Refs.
C B.
6 and
Friend,
7,
Table
unpublished
40;
Ref.
8.
data.
d Preliminary.
were 65 years ago (Chart 5). We also can see the very
marked improvement that enrichment of cereals has made
in B-vitamins and iron going into our food supply (Chart 6).
In 1941, these 4 nutrients (iron, riboflavin, niacin, and
thiamin) were added to enriched flour, resulting in a quite
marked increase in the per capita availability of these
nutrients that has held up during the past quarter century.
The USDA survey on nutrient intake of individuals shows
who
is getting
some
of these
minerals
(Chart
7). It is quite
evident
that, prior to menopause,
females
take in substan
tially less than recommended
amounts
of iron. On the other
hand,
males
take
in substantially
larger
amounts
and
approximate
their
recommended
nutrient
levels
from
teen
age and on.
CANCER
RESEARCH
VOL. 35
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Nutrition
in the United States
marked increase in poultry. The processing and marketing
innovations in the broiler industry have led to a rather
dramatic increase in consumption of poultry products.
The USDA survey of food intake of individuals in the
United States (Ref. 2, Report I 1) gives us a picture of who
is consuming these various food products. Consumption of
milk and milk products (Chart 13) falls off after age 8 for
females but stays quite high through age 19 for males.
Consumption
of animal products (Chart 14) does not
change
@
LPCER
1
1—2)—5 6-S
9—11 12—1k15—17 1$—192O—5@ 15—5'.
55—6465—7'.
75
AGE
IN
VIAlS
Chart 4. Grams of fat from I day's diet in 1965, by age and sex.
There is a different story for calcium in diets of men,
women, and children (Chart 8). For females, all age groups
from age 9 and on are substantially below recommended
daily intakes. Young adult males appear to have adequate
calcium, but many other age groups show less than recom
mended intakes.
Foods Used as Nutrient Sources
The calculations for nutrients in the daily food supply are
based on composition of the various foods used ( 15). Over
the years, these foods have changed considerably (Chart 9).
Previously mentioned data (Chart 2) indicated that per
capita consumption of protein today is similar to that in
1910. Early in this century, about one-half of the protein
came from animal products (Table I), whereas today 70% of
protein showing up in the food balance sheets comes from
meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs. The major
shift in the diet is in the marked decrease in consumption of
flour and cereal products.
Previously mentioned data also showed a continual rise in
the daily use of fat in our diet (Chart 2). Again, as can be
seen in Chart 10, there have been marked shifts in the
sources offat (3). During the period 1940 to 1965, there was
a steady drop in the consumption of pork and milk fat. On
the other hand, there was a steady and marked rise in the
use of margarine and other shortenings, of various salads
and cooking oils (notably soybean oil), and in the fat
associated with a marked increase in consumption of beef.
One can look at long-term trends in consumption of
major commodities (Chart I 1). There has been a fairly
steady decline in consumption of cereal products. The very
marked decline in consumption of potatoes began to reverse
itself some years ago as a result of innovations in processing
and marketing and the introduction
of dehydrated and
frozen products. Note the rather marked shift over the years
in the per capita consumption of eggs.
These trends in the major commodities
greatly
for females
throughout
the teen-age
years and most of the adult life. However, it continues to
rise very markedly through age 34 for men.
Grains, fruits, and vegetables may be of special interest to
cancer epidemiologists
because of the hypothesis that
dietary fiber may play a role in cancer in man. Again,
beginning at teen-age, females start consuming less grain
products/day
(Chart 15). Males reach their peak consump
tion of grain products much later, at about age 19.
A very different consumption pattern is seen for various
fruits and vegetable products.
For tomatoes
and citrus fruit
(Chart 16), males and females consume comparable quanti
ties/person each day, and there is no tendency for this to
change for any of the age groups after late childhood. On
the other hand, while the same statement would also apply
to the green and yellow vegetables (Chart 17), one may note
from the quantity/person
that these commodities contribute
to the daily diet that they constitute a small fraction of the
amount that grain products or tomatoes and citrus fruit
contribute.
Potato consumption shows a real difference associated
with age and sex (Chart 18). For females, it remains at
about 50 g daily from early childhood on. For males, the
consumption
rises to twice this amount by age 34 and
diminishes thereafter.
Unfortunately,
neither the food balance sheets (disap
pearance data) nor the dietary surveys of households or
individuals in the United States have been used to come up
with solid information on the dietary fiber consumption. B.
Friend3 has estimated that the level of crude fiber in the
food supply dropped from about 6 g per capita per day
around 1910 to a little over 4 g in 1974 (Table 2). The
decline may relate to a decreased consumption of potatoes
and grain products. Although the crude fiber composition
has not been tabulated for a great many foods, Watt and
Merrill ( 15) include a column listing fiber for a considerable
number of foods. There one can see that the fiber content of
cereal products runs somewhat lower than that of many
fruits and that vegetables as a class have substantially more
fiber than do either cereals or fruits. Since much of the
cereal consumption in the United States is of white wheat
flour with perhaps only 0.3% fiber, it is obvious that an
appreciable part
may come from
important source
bles may not be,
of the dietary fiber of the United States
noncereal products. Potatoes may be an
of fiber but the green and yellow vegeta
as their relatively low daily consumption
offsets the higher fiber content in vegetables. None of this
can hide shifts in
food consumption of the individual food items in the major
groups (Chart 12). During the past 15 years, a marked
increase in the consumption of meat products is largely
associated with an increased intake of beef and a very
NOVEMBER 1975
material
3 B.
dealing
Friend.
Changes
with “crudefiber― relates
in
the
U.
S.
Diet
Caused
by
to individual
Alterations
in
Food
Intake Patterns.Paperfor the Food and Drug Administration Conference
on the Changing Food Supply in America, Arlington, Virginia, May 22,
1974.
Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on June 16, 2017. © 1975 American Association for Cancer Research.
3249
w.A. Gortner
Table 3
Mineral and vitamin nutrients available for consumption/day
.
Year
Phos
Calcium
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974d
phorus
(g)(mg)
0.83
0.80
0.78
0.85
0.83
0.80
0.80
0.79
0.81
0.86
0.84
0.84
0.83
0.84
0.84
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.86
0.86
0.88
0.87
0.86
0.86
0.86
0.86
0.87
0.89
0.89
0.90
0.91
0.92
0.93
0.98
0.99
1.00
1.06
1.08
1.02
0.99
0.98
0.99
0.98
1.00
0.98
0.98
1.00
0.99
0.98
0.97
0.98
0.97
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.95
0.95
0.94
0.95
0.94
0.93
0.94
0.94
0.95
0.95
IronMag
1.58
1.55
1.52
1.57
1.54
1.49
1.50
1.47
1.50
1.54
1.51
1.47
1.44
1.48
1.51
1.51
1.48
1.48
1.50
1.49
1.51
1.48
1.47
1.45
1.43
1.44
1.42
1.46
1.45
1.46
1.48
1.50
1.51
1.56
1.60
1.60
1.66
1.69
1.57
1.53
1.52
1.53
1.51
1.53
1.52
1.51
1.53
1.54
1.52
1.50
1.52
1.51
1.50
1.49
1.50
1.51
1.50
1.50
1.52
1.53
1.53
1.52
1.53
1.54
1.52
15.5
15.3
15.2
15.2
14.8
14.5
14.6
14.3
14.7
15.3
15.1
14.6
14.0
14.5
14.8
14.7
14.3
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.3
14.2
14.1
13.7
13.6
14.0
13.5
13.9
13.6
13.7
14.0
14.2
14.4
15.4
16.1
17.5
17.9
18.2
17.2
16.4
16.4
16.5
16.1
16.2
16.3
16.0
16.2
16.4
16.1
16.1
16.2
16.3
16.4
16.5
16.6
16.8
16.6
16.5
17.2
17.4
17.6
17.8
17.9
18.0
17.9
1.54
18.3
A
valueL@
nesium
(mg)Vitamin (IU)Thiamin
7,800
7,600
7,500
7,600
7,400
7,300
7,600
7,500
7,800
7,700
8,000
7,900
7,800
8,300
8,100
7,800
7,700
8,000
8,200
7,900
8,300
8,000
8,200
8,400
8,100
8,300
8,300
8,000
8,400
8,400
8,600
8,500
8,700
9,100
9,500
9,700
10,000
9,600
9,100
8,700
8,500
8,400
8,000
8,000
8,100
8,000
8,200
8,200
8,100
8,000
8,100
8,000
7,800
7,800
7,800
7,700
7,700
7,800
7,900
8,100
8,100
8,200
8,200
8,100
8,100
343
346
346
348
8,200
l909@@I974a
(mg)Riboflavin (mg)Niacin
(mg)Ascorbic
1.68
1.63
1.63
1.65
1.63
1.58
1.60
1.57
1.54
1.60
1.55
1.52
1.50
1.53
1.62
1.60
1.54
1.51
1.55
1.57
1.57
1.54
1.55
1.53
1.50
1.48
1.39
1.42
1.42
1.44
1.50
1.55
1.64
1.83
2.05
2.09
2.06
2.15
1.94
1.89
1.89
1.90
1.90
1.90
1.85
1.81
1.87
1.87
1.83
1.82
1.88
1.85
1.84
1.86
1.87
1.87
1.81
1.80
1.91
1.91
1.93
1.93
1.97
1.94
1.90
1.88
1.82
1.80
1.88
1.84
1.78
1.79
1.77
1.79
1.87
1.83
1.82
1.79
1.83
1.85
1.86
1.84
1.84
1.84
1.84
1.86
1.84
1.84
1.82
1.80
1.81
1.78
1.81
1.83
1.83
1.87
1.90
1.92
2.00
2.15
2.37
2.46
2.48
2.33
2.26
2.25
2.29
2.27
2.31
2.30
2.28
2.31
2.32
2.29
2.27
2.29
2.28
2.26
2.27
2.28
2.29
2.27
2.29
2.33
2.35
2.35
2.35
2.37
2.35
2.32
9.5
19.3
18.7
19.0
18.6
18.1
18.3
17.9
18.2
18.3
18.5
17.5
17.1
17.5
18.5
18.2
17.9
17.6
17.8
17.7
17.9
17.3
17.6
17.2
17.1
17.3
16.7
17.3
16.9
17.0
17.3
17.8
18.3
18.7
20.0
22.5
22.7
23.1
21.5
20.8
20.8
20.2
19.9
20.1
20.5
20.1
20.3
20.7
20.5
20.5
20.8
20.8
20.9
21.1
21.5
21.7
21.5
21.6
22.4
22.7
22.8
23.1
23.3
23.4
22.9
2.33
23.4
1.94
acidc
B1
B12
(mg)Vitamin (mg)Vitamin (mg)
105
107
99
104
103
100
105
96
98
102
100
104
104
104
109
108
106
104
105
105
III
103
109
107
105
108
112
109
110
114
116
115
115
117
115
125
125
123
119
112
109
105
107
105
106
105
106
105
107
102
106
108
107
107
101
100
101
102
108
109
Ill
114
115
115
118
119
2.18
9.5
2.29
2.24
9.8
9.5
2.28
9.7
a Quantities of nutrients computed by USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Consumer and Food Economics Institute, on the basis ofestimates of per
capita food consumption (retail weight), including estimates of produce of home gardens, prepared by the Economic Research Service. No deduction has
been made in nutrient estimates for loss or waste of food in the home, use for pet food, or for destruction or loss of nutrients during the preparation of
food. Civilian per capita only, 1941 to date. Data for iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin include estimates of the quantities of these nutrients added to
flour and cereal products (6, 7, 10).
A Includes
estimates
of
quantities
added
to
margarine
C Includes
estimates
of
quantities
added
to
fruit
juices
and
and
to
milk
of
all
types.
drinks.
d Preliminary.
3250
CANCER
RESEARCH
VOL. 35
Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on June 16, 2017. © 1975 American Association for Cancer Research.
@
r
@
80
I
Nutrition
in the United States
% OF 1909-13
125
V@onünAIThiomin(
75
50
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1 l0
1970
5-yIAO MOVING AVISAGE
Chart 5. Changes in per capita civilian consumption (disappearance) of
calcium, vitamin A, thiamin, and ascorbic acid, 1909 to 1973. @,
enrich
ment initiated; 0, preliminary.
Chart 9. Diet sources of protein, 1910 to 1972. Per capita civilian food
supply, 1972, preliminary. °,total animal sources.
% of
4(
3@.
150
In
lION
—
——
@
fat
a
L.
IIIOFLAVIN
—.— NIACIN
@,—‘margarine.
THIAMIN
@@1A_/'@
shortening
,t%_,\_,,_p_tI-.
50
fats oils
Cf
1YJU
P120
IY3U
1Y40
UYSU
1q60
1970
@@5Q
$.nM @vu@
*wi@
Chart 6. Changesin percapitacivilian consumption(disappearance)of
vitamin B and iron, 1909 to 1973. 0, preliminary.
PERCENT-@
year
Mali
200@
Chart
,
V..,
@
12
34
êl
1
i.I1
11.14
AGE
is.i@
IN
is.1@ sai
is.m
iS.ê4 *5.74
10. Diet sources of fat, 1940 to 1965. Data from Ref. 3.
fl
YEARS
Chart 7. Iron from 1 day's diet in 1965,by age and sex of the Na
tional Academy ofScience-National
Research Council(l968).
Chart I I . Trends in United States eating habits. Changes in per capita
civilian consumption (disappearance) of major food commodities, 1909 to
1965.
PERCENT-@
@ .: Mali
andMale
200
@
r]
150
Female
-.
1@E1960
v•oI160
!
—B...
and
PoulEry
———EgIE.
—..-#.—
140
@
@
:LJIfflmi
USEI
14
3.5
@.$ p.11
I
13.14
15.17
15.15 20.34
AGE
IN YEARS
35.54
SS.@
.
120.—.—.
100
8@ZL@@
I
@S.74
1960
75
Chart
Research Council (1968).
!Ij1970
I
1965I
1975
‘
Chart 8. Calcium from 1 day's diet in 1965,by age and sex of Na
tional Academy of Sciences-National
-.-.,.
12. Changes in per capita consumption
(disappearance)
of
selectedlivestock products, 1960to 1974. @,
includes butter; A, prelimi
nary.
NOVEMBER 1975
Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on June 16, 2017. © 1975 American Association for Cancer Research.
3251
w.A. Gortner
GRAMS
@
Mali and
Mol.
100
800
80
60
40
Nil.
and
Nil.
F...S.
20
@,1.2
2.1
@1
@.U 11.14 1517 l$.l@ M24
‘
1-21.1R.$•.II
u.N $47 i.$ MMi.M M.MMJI 11
AGEINYEARS
I
Chart 13. Milk and milk products (calcium equivalent)
diet in 1965, by age and sex.
in I day's
AGE
IN
YEARS
‘S@
Chart 17. Dark green and yellow vegetables in I day's diet in 1965,
by age and sex.
GRAMS
125-
GRAMS
MAI@
100
75@[email protected]@d
:@1@Illi.
NNI
1.2
1.1
6.1
Rh
I
21.14
2147
I$.l@
MN
11.14
S1.U
15.74
AGE IN YEARS
I-,
Si
e.i
i.a
I
ISN
14
*21
MM
MM
i.M
iN
21
AGEINYEARS
71
I iMI
Chart
18. White potatoes in I day's diet in 1965, by age and sex.
Chart 14. Meat and poultry and fish in 1 day's diet in 1965, by age
and sex.
fiber components such as pectins, pentosans, cellulose, or
lignin, some of which may be far more important in cancer
epidemiology.
@
GRAMS
-
@@MoI•
-.-—--
Discussion
There is very little basis to relate the current nutritional
status of United States population
an appreciable period of time.
groups to changes over
The food disappearance data do give useful information
@s1.2 14 e.$ ,.lI liii
I
AGE
11.17 @$4@
M.N i.54
IN
@NMU
YEARS
21
‘
Chart 15. Grain products (flour equivalent) in I day's diet in 1965,by
age and sex.
on changes in nutrients in our food supply during this
century and on changes in the foods that provide nutrients
to the population.
Finally,
the study of the dietary intake of
individuals helps to define which age and sex groups are
taking in the different foods. The data thus also tell how
effective these dietary patterns are in meeting the recom
mended nutrient intakes of the different population groups.
In all ofthe studies I have referred to, we are talking only
of averages. Usually, we do not know or are not told what
the range is, what the degree of clustering may be, what the
extremes encompass, and how many individuals may be
near those extremes in foods or nutrients consumed or in
GRAMS
clinical or biochemical or anthropometric
tests of “nutri
tional risk.―A person with his head in the oven and his feet
in the freezer may be comfortable “onthe average;― many
of the data defining “NutritionUSA―are similarly com
foiling
1@ :@@@uillBiHLI°
NI
2
1-2
11
êA
@l
1144
11.17
IS4@
*21
AGEINYEARS
21.21
21*1
11.21
11
‘
ii.
Chart 16. Tomatoes and citrus fruit in I day's diet in 1965, by age
and sex.
3252
to
the
health
scientist,
on
the
average.
An encouraging exception is the series of reports issued in
the Canadian
survey (Nutrition
Canada,
1975; Ref. 13).
Their tables show the percentage distribution of dietary
intake of various nutrients and also the level for the lowest
and for the highest 5% and 25% of the population.
CANCER
RESEARCH
The same
VOL.
Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on June 16, 2017. © 1975 American Association for Cancer Research.
35
Nutrition
is presented for many biochemical values relating to nutri
tional status. Thus, one can see that, while the lowest 5% of
the Canadian teen-age males had dietary protein of only
four-fifths of the recommended
“adequate―intake, the
upper 5% of this population group were consuming more
than 4 times the amount of protein needed for good
nutrition.
Hopefully, the data described in this paper can at least
lead the epidemiologist to sources of information dealing
with food and nutrition that can be examined relative to the
changes in various diseases, including the various forms of
cancer.
References
1. Abraham, S.. Lowenstein, F. W., and Johnson, C. 1. Preliminary
Findings of the First Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,
United States 1971-72: Dietary Intake and Biochemical Findings.
Publication No. (HRA) 74-1219-I. Washington, D.C.: Department of
Health, Education and Welfare, 1974.
2. Agricultural Research Service. Household Food Consumption Survey
1965-66, Report Nos. I to 18. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of Agriculture, 1968-1974.
3. Call, D. L., and Sanchez, A. M., Trends in Fat Disappearance in the
United States, 1909-65. J. Nutr., 93 (suppl.): I -28, 1967.
4. Clark, F. Recent Food Consumption Surveys and Their Uses.
Federation Proc., 33: 2270-2274, 1974.
5. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Ten-State Nutrition
Survey, 1968-1970. Publication Nos. (HSM) 72-8130, 72 8131,
NOVEMBER
in the United States
72-8132, 72-8133, 72-8134. Washington,
Health, Education and Welfare, 1972.
D.C.:
Department
of
6. EconomicResearchService.FoodConsumption, Prices,and Expendi
tures. Agricultural Economic Report 138.Washington, D.C.: United
States Department of Agriculture, 1968.
7. Economic Research Service. Food Consumption, Prices, and Expendi
tures. Agricultural Economic Report I 38. Supplement. Washington,
D.C.: UnitedStatesDepartmentof Agriculture,1974.
8. Feeley, R. M., Criner, P. E., and Watt, B. K. Cholesterol Content of
Foods. J. Am. Dietet. Assoc., 61: 134-149, 1972.
9. Friend, B. Nutrients in the United States Food Supply. A Review of
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10. Friend, B., and Marston, R. Nutritional
Review. National Food
Situation (USDA). 150: 26-32, 1974.
II. Kelsay, J. 1. A Compendium of Nutritional
Status Studies and
Dietary Evaluation
Studies Conducted
in the United States
(1957-1967).
J. Nutr.,99: 119-166,1969.
12. Morgan, A. F. Nutritional Status U.S.A. Calif. Agr. Exptl. Station
Bull. 769, 1959.
13. Nutrition
tion
Canada. Nutrition:
Canada
to
the
Department
Ottawa, Canada: Information
is
detailed
in
12
survey
reports
A National
of
Priority.
National
Report by Nutri
Health
and
Welfare,
Canada, 1973. (In 1975 this material
covering
Alberta,
British
Columbia,
Eskimos, Indians, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan
survery areas).
14. Owen, G. M., Kram, K. M., Garry, P. J., Lowe, J. W., and Lubin, A.
H. A Study of Nutritional Status of PreschoolChildren in the United
States, 1968- 1970. Pediatrics, 53: 597-646, 1974.
15. Watt, B. K., and Merrill, A. L. Composition of Foods Raw,
Processed, Prepared. Agriculture Handbook No. 8. Washington,
D.C.: UnitedStatesDepartmentof Agriculture,1963.
1975
Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on June 16, 2017. © 1975 American Association for Cancer Research.
3253
Nutrition in the United States, 1900 to 1974
Willis A. Gortner
Cancer Res 1975;35:3246-3253.
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