How the Mid-Victorians Worked, Ate and Died†

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Paul Clayton¹ 

[1] School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, UK

关键词: Public health;    dietary shift;    degenerative disease;    Victorian;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph6031235

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Analysis of the mid-Victorian period in the U.K. reveals that life expectancy at age 5 was as good or better than exists today, and the incidence of degenerative disease was 10% of ours. Their levels of physical activity and hence calorific intakes were approximately twice ours. They had relatively little access to alcohol and tobacco; and due to their correspondingly high intake of fruits, whole grains, oily fish and vegetables, they consumed levels of micro- and phytonutrients at approximately ten times the levels considered normal today. This paper relates the nutritional status of the mid-Victorians to their freedom from degenerative disease; and extrapolates recommendations for the cost-effective improvement of public health today.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2009 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.