Diets of a Group of Aircraft Workers in Southern California

Abstract

HE importance of developing measures to improve the diets of industrial workers has been discussed in a previous report (i) from the Committee on Nutrition in Industry of the National Research Council. A general survey of plant facilities for meals, of food habits of workers, and of evidence on dietary deficiencies among industrial employes led the Committee to the conclusions that more detailed investigations of the problem were greatly needed and that the present situation requires prompt, remedial measures to promote better dietary practices. There is much evidence from research on nutrition that workers who are well fed and have neither nor hidden hunger may be expected to have better health, greater efficiency, and higher morale. In order to obtain more definite data on the dietary deficiencies of industrial workers and their relation to health and absenteeism, an intensive study was planned and sponsored by the Committee on Nutrition in Industry. This investigation was begun at the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California, in November, 194I, and included: (i) the collection of dietary histories; (2) medical examinations to determine the prevalence of various specific nutritional diseases; (3) a follow-up study of absences and accidents over a period of one year. The investigation is still in progress and the present report relates only to an analysis of the diet histories.