Working-Class Diets in Late Nineteenth-Century Britain

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Published 03-09-2014
Derek John Oddy

Abstract

Data from 6 surveys carried out between 1887 and 1901 were analysed for 151 families budgets divided into 5 income groups, ranging from those very poor families with irregular incomes to those keeping servants. The average weekly consumption of bread, potatoes, sugar, cereals, meat and milk was calculated, as well as the daily intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, calcium and iron. 

It was found that the first 2 groups got very poor diets, the 3rd group got a diet corresponding to average but still poor. An improvement could be observed with the 2 groups in the upper income range in all foods, particularly in milk.

Families spent 58% of their income on food. Bread, flour and potatoes were the staples among the families surveyed, providing 61% of total energy intake. Meat provided 11% of energy and 29% of expenditure. Status of foods also had an impact on intake; there may have been persistent prejudice against fruit, vegetables and milk.

 
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Keywords

diet, food, income, expenditure, vegetables, meat, milk, protein, carbohydrates

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