How the mid-Victorians worked, ate and died.
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.
School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, UK. paulrclayton@gmail.com
Paul
P
Clayton
Judith
J
Rowbotham
D002423:Cause of Death; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise; D006262:Health; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D006113:United Kingdom; D014937:Work