Standards of “cost coefficients”

Dieticians, well acquainted with working class food habits, drew up dietaries for persons of different age and sex, to conform to the League of Nations standards of nutrient requirements. Full rations and priorities available in August/September, 1943, were allowed in the diets. The diets were costed according to food prices prevailing in August/September, 1943, and allowance was made for such foods as school and National milk, and cod liver oil and fruit juices obtained at less than the full retail price. Further, adjustments were made for school and National milk and school dinners received free of charge. The cost of an adequate diet for an adult man was estimated to be 9/6d. per week and the cost coefficient of each person was the relative cost of their diet compared with the cost of that for an adult male.