INADEQUATE FOOD-INTAKE - HISTORY OF THE R ESEARCH ON THE BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS ON HUMAN-SUBJECTS

Malnutrition is a multifaceted biological stress. Here we shall be con cerned with the behavioral effects of prolonged inadequacy of food int ake, not of the deficits of specific nutrients (such as iron, iodine o r some of the vitamins). Motor and intellective functions as well as p ersonality may be affected. Research performed during the first part o f the 20th century will be considered briefly, beginning with an exper imental study on adults carried out in Boston in 1917/1918. Extensive experimental studies were undertaken at the University of Minnesota in the 1940s. In the second half of the century research, utilizing clin ical observations as well as psychometric methods, was focused on maln utrition in children, mostly in Latin America. US scientists shared in these investigations both as individuals and as members of research t eams. Some of the work performed by native investigators received US f inancial support. Studies carried out in the USA are considered in the final section of the report.