British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 836

CHAPTER XIX.

34. The objects of the Department of Health survey were defined as follows:-

A. (i) An investigation into the actual food consumption and expenditure of the poorer sections of the two main units of the population, with the object of indicating main dietary deficiencies at various expenditure levels and the minimum desirable food expenditure.

(ii) A consideration of the state of nutrition of the persons concerned.

(iii) A comparison of the same family groups in 1942 and 1943.

B. An investigation into the economic state of the families examined with the object of constructing family budgets on the minimum wage standard.

The study included urban and rural family and social units and social groups, both Arab and Jewish.

35. The following is a summary of the methods adopted :(1) Measurement and assessment of diets.

(2) Collation of data concerning occupation, income and expenditure.

(3) Collation of data concerning physical measurements at ages and signs of disease and malnutrition among children.

36. For the purposes of calculating a minimum subsistence wage, a diet containing 2550 calories, consisting of protein 68 g. (25 g. animal protein), fat 60 g., carbohydrate 435 g., Ca 0.75 g., P. 1.00 g., Fe 15 mgms. Vitamin A 3000 I.U., Vitamin B.l. 600 I. U., and Vitamin C 50 mgms. was taken as representing minimal requirements.

37. A study was made of family budgets and diet expenditure.

In 1942 available data suggested that the minimum food subsistence level could be reached by an expenditure on food of between £P.1 1/2 and £P.2 1/2 per bead per month. £P.2 per head per month appeared adequate for minimal nutritional standards in the case of families of five persons.

38. Family budgets were examined for 1400 families and four communal settlements. After discarding unsuitable material, data concerning 1370 family budgets were available for study. These were arranged in relation to eight food expenditure groups ranging from expenditure of under £P.1 per bead per month by £P.1/4 increments up to expenditure of £P .2 1/2 and over per bead per month.

LARGE URBAN AREAS.

39. In large urban areas (Jerusalem, Haifa, Jaffa and Tel Aviv municipal areas) it was estimated that, of the total population of 500,000, the food expenditure groups were distributed as follows:-

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