Surveys of the Nutrition of Populations. 2. The Protein Nutrition of a Rural Population in Middle Tennessee

Abstract

A survey of the nutrition of some 1200 persons showed frequent and severe deficiencies in the intake of protein, greater among Negroes, among [female][female], and in certain age groups. Significant incidence of protein deficiency was manifested by a hypo-albuminemia (about 10% in the entire population), but this was not as great as might have been expected on the basis of the dietary records; notably among colored [female][female]16 and over, the incidence was very high, 24[long dash]29%. A low incidence of edema (3%) was often explainable by causes other than hypoproteinemia. No correlation was obtained between the dietary intake of calories or protein and the serum proteins.