HIGHLIGHTS/FALL 1976
FOOD FOR THE BABY
FAST FOOD MEALS
SPENDING ON MEDICAL CARE
THE APPROPRIATE FAMILY FOOD PLAN
PROPERTY OF THE
LIBRARY
DEC 2 0 1976
University of North Carolina
at Greensboro
Depository
ARS-NE-36
Consumer and Food Economics Institute
Agricultural Research Service
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FAMILY ECONOMIC REVIEW is a quarterly
report on research of the Consumer and Food
Economics Institute and on information from
other sources relating to economic asp cts of
family living. It is prepared primarily for home
economics agents and home economics
specialists of the Cooperative Extension
Service.
Authors ar on the staff of th onsumer and o d
Economics Institute unl ss oth
Editor: Katherine . Tippett
2
Consum ran Food .c nomi In titute
Agricultural Re ar h •rvi
partm nt of A rri
FPd ral Building
Jlyat vill Md. 2 7 2
ll.
FOOD FOR THE BABY ... COST AND NUTRITIVE VALUE CONSIDERATIONS
by Betty Peterkin and Susan Walker
How much does it cost to feed a baby? The
answer, for the baby's first year alone, may
differ by $100 or more, depending on the
foods selected for the baby's diet. The cost in
Washington, D.C., in July 1976 and the
nutritive value of some foods the baby may eat
are hown here to illustrate the economic and
nutritional implications of certain selections.
We do no , for the sake of economy or any
other reason, suggest that all mothers should
(or hould not) breast feed their babies, use a
c r ain formula, or prepare foods their babies
eat at hom rath r than buy commercially
pr par d ones. These are decisions the parents
mu t make, in consultation with their doctor
or other child health professional.
nth r r r to
f I L I
week, depending on the kind of formula used
and the container in which it is purchased.
For mothers who choose not to breast feed
their babies, the doctor will prescribe a
formula. The formula may be made from
evaporated milk or whole fluid pasteurized
milk; it may be made by adding sterilized water
to commercially prepared formula in concentrated
or powdered form; or it may be
ready-to-use commercially prepared formula.
The cost of various types of formulas differs
widely. For example, in Washington, D.C., the
July 1976 weekly cost of milk-based formula
for the baby taking five 6-oz bottles (30 fl oz)
daily was-
• $2.81, if made from whole fluid pasteurized
milk fortified with vitamin D,
purchased in half-gallon cartons, and
sugar.2
• $2.88, if made from evaporated milk
fortified with vitamin D, purchased in
13-fl-oz cans, and sugar. 2
• $4.77, if made from concentrated
formula, purchased in 13-fl-oz cans.
• $5.01, if made from powdered formula,
purchased in 1-lb cans.
• $6.50, if purchased in ready-to-use
32-fl-oz cans.
According to these cost estimates, the family
using commercially prepared ready-to-use
formula might spend $100 more during the
baby's first 6 months than a family using
formula made from evaporated milk or whole
fluid milk and sugar.
The family using commercially prepared
formula can ave mall amount of money by
buying it by the case or the six-pack. Savings of
about 26 cents a week result if 13-fl-oz cans of
coneentrat d formula are purchased in cases of
24, rather than ingly. Only 6 cent per week is
v d if 32-fl-oz can of ready-to-use formula
ar pun:ha. d in ca e of 6, rather than singly.
2 Includl' an all0\11\llCe of 50 cent per week for
or sltpplement to provide a:corbic acid
u: uall r comn end d with this formula.
3
The cost of ready-to-use formula is increased
by more than one-half if bought in "servingsize'
cans, and is doubled or tripled if bought
in disposable bottles rather than 32-fl-oz cans.
Although more expensive, the small cans and
bottles of formula may be the only safe source
of milk in some home situations and while
traveling. A week's supply for the baby having
30 fluid ounces daily of ready-to-use formula
costs-
• $9.58 from a six-pack of 8-fl-oz cans.
• $13.00 from a six-pack of 8-fl-oz bottles.,
• $14.42 from a case of 24 6-fl-oz bottles.
• $19.68 from a case of 48 4-fl-oz bottles.
Leading brands of commercially prepared
milk-based formula cost about the same.
Formula fortified with iron is available at the
same cost as formula without iron added.
Soy-based formula, developed for babies who
cannot tolerate milk, costs slightly more than
milk-based formula.
Ready-to-use formula and commercially
prepared concentrated and powdered formulas,
when reconsituted, resemble each other in that
they supply 20 calories per fluid ounce. They
are fortified so that a quart of formula provides
recommended amounts of vitamins A, C, D,
and several B vitamins. These formulas provide
needed protein and calcium and, If fortified,
provide substantial amounts of iron. Evaporated
milk and whole fluid pasteurized milk
usually are fortified with vitamin D but provide
little ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or iron. Th r -
fore, formula from these milks should be
supplemented with food or pharma eutical
sources of these nutrients, as recommend d by
a doctor (5). nfortified evaporated or whole
milk formulas and mother's milk should b
supplemented with vitamin D as w 11.
Foods Other Than Milk or Formula
The baby does not n c sarily n d food
other than br ast milk or formula until h i at
1 ast 6 months old (5, 14). Howpv r, infant
c real, fruit jui e, and a variety of . train d
foods are usually introduced som •tim during
the first 6 month a a transition to e ing
''table food . " Through th ir u th infant
b comes accu tom to foods that, alon wi h
4
milk, will provide needed nutrients in later
months.
Cereal. Precooked dry infant cereal mixed
with water or formula is usually the first solid
food given to the baby. A few spoonfuls a day
of this dry cereal, introduced by 3 to 4 months
of age, as recommended by a doctor, may be
increased to a half ounce or more twice a day.
Many infant cereals-rice, barley, oatmeal,
mixed, and high protein-are available. They
are convenient to us and, as indicated by
information about the in tant cereal in table 1,
are economical ources of s veral nutrients.
Infant cereal and milk are counted on as
principal sourc of many nutrients-pro in,
calcium, iron, thiamin riboflavin and niacineven
after strained foods ar introduced into
the baby's diet.
a a source of iron
pr vention of iron
It
HI 'II-
'"~!
rr-
-.'1
C/1
1IL, fluid, whole
Coacrcially prepared
formula without iron
ded, ready-to-us
Instant cereal,
lxcd, dry .••.••••.••.
hing biscuits ••.••.
rained baby food,
commercially preparcd:e
Orange juice, stra.inco
~Uxed cereal with
apples and bananas ..
Beef ~>ith beef broth
Chicl<en with chicken
broth .............. .
Beef with vegetables
(high meat) •.........
Chicken with vegetables
(high meat) ....
Chicken noodle dinner
Macaroni, tomatoes,
beef ............... .
Carrots ............. .
Green beans ........•.
Pears ............... .
Applesauce .......... .
Apple dessert ....... .
Pruit dessert ....... .
Vanilla custard ..... .
un
8
fl Ol:
8
fl Ol:
~ Ol:
'1 oz
3's oz
3~ oz
3!.! oz
3~ oz
3~ oz
31i oz
3~ oz
3~ oz
3'i oz
3\ oz
3li oz
3':z oz
3'; oz
3':; oz
31, oz
S.l
24.8
2 ...
5.3
12.9
14. 1
39.0
39.0
23.4
23.4
14.8
14.8
14.8
14.8
14. 1
14.1
14. 1
14.1
14.8
Table 1. Cost and nutritive value of selected baby foods I
7
20
8
6
2
5
74
73
32
34
12
14
3
5
2
1
1
1
6
23
33
(1)
(1)
7
(7)
(7)
(10)
59
so
32
32
564
18
[7)
[7)
1
11
7
6
36
('l)
( ')
111
4 33
8
5
7
9
5
4
15
14
9 33
8
17
10
6
14
28
72
11
10
9 33
4
4
8
2
12
22
4
8
4
2
2
4
2
68
32
58
10
3
9 33
28
27
12
8
8
12
5
13
3
3
s
2
15
2
23
36
-1
3
9 33
32
42
27
24
8
12
5
4
2
1
l
l
J
48
22
24
11
2
1
2
5
2
6
3
3
4
6
2
1
3
1
8
6 1
77
2
3
9 33
11
8
5
6
3
3
3
5
2
2
1
2
2
159
160
52
54
52
84
112
123
89
88
so
71
35
29
72
82
100
97
94
Carbohydrate
G
12 .0
16.8
4.4
9.1
11.8
18.9
(?)
. 1
5.7
5 .8
7.4
8.8
7 .6
5.3
17.2
20.0
23.0
23.6
17.9
Fat
• I"
v
8.5
8.6
.2
.6
.3
.4
6.5
7.8
4.8
4.5
1.3
2.9
. 1
.2
. 2
. 1
.8
. 2
1.7
Sodium 4
Ng
122
(')
10
66
70
166
156
127
130
111
155
140
lOS
6
8
16
36
95
lcosts and nutnttve values nrc averages for foods from 3 major baby food manufactUJ't't·s, except fol' fluid 1vholc milk.
2Prlces in Washington, D.C., July 1976.
3Atlowance specified for use in nutritional l abeling of foods for infants by the Food and Drug Administration. Title 21. Code of Feder:~!
Re~ulations CF2(10-199). 125.1 b. Percentages in this table have not been rounded as required for usc on food Jnbcls.
Sodium content varies depending on the amount of salt nddcd.
6Socrivcd from nutritive values given in "Composition of f'oods ... rnw, processed, prepnrcd" (15).
Commercially prepared formula Wlth iron added provides about 19 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allo•~ance (ROA).
Value judged to be insignificant Ol' was not determined by manufacturers.
6
Values shown for baby foods arc for 100 grams (approximately 3', oz) of food. Cans of fruit juice contain 4.2 fl oz, jars of str<l.incd
meat contain 3lz oz, and jars of other strained foods contain 4'2 to 4 3;
4
oz. 9
Products val'y •~idcly in content depending on the amount, if any, of the nutrient added. Value is for product with nutl'icnt addel.l.
IOonJy 1 of 3 manufacturers gave a value. It represented 19 percent of the U.S. RDA.
Dry infant cereals mi..'<:ed with fruits commercially
cost more than plain dry infant
cereals. For example, cereals with bananas cost
about a third more than an equal weight of
infant cereal without bananas. Strained mixed
cereal with apples and bananas in jars cost four
times as much as dry infant cereal when costs
of amoW1ts to provide equal calories are
compared. Unless it is fortified with iron,
thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, strained cereal
provides considerably less of these nutrients
than dry infant cereal. Teething bi cuits cost
over twice as much as an equal weight of infant
cereal. They provide about the same amount of
food energy and protein but cannot be counted
on to replace cereal as a source of vitamins and
minerals.
Fruit juice. Strained orange juice and
fortified apple and mixed fruit juices ar rich
sources of vitamin C. A 1h-cup ( 4-fl-oz) ervin
of any of these juices daily supplies the infant's
recommended allowance (35 mg) abundantly.
Commercially prepared strained orange jui is
more expensive than juice squeezed from fresh
oranges or juice reconstituted from froz n
concentrate. In Washington, D.C., in July 1976
strained orange juice cost about 11h tim s as
much as fresh orange juice and 4 times as much
as that made from frozen concentrate (table 2).
trained baby food . In addition to infant
c reals and trained fruit juic s, the mark t
offers a wid assortment of omm rcially
pr par d trained baby foods-m ats, v g -
tables, fruits, and mixtur s, such as oups,
breakfasts, dinners, and d ss rts. Th food
varied in cost from 14 to 39 · nts p r 31h
OW1C s in Washington in July 1976 and w r
more costly as sourc s of food n rgy than
breast milk and most formulas that they
r plac in h baby's di t. B cau • of th cost
r lationships and the fact that train d food
are unnec sary as sources of css ntial nutri nts
during arly months of lif , th r app ar to b •
a practical advantag in avoiding th •ir arly
introduc ion exp cially for habi •s in famili ·
with low incom s.
Bahy food , lik the• foods adult t•at, vary in
the amount of diff r nt nutrien th y
provid . For exam plP, me ats land ou ru
worthwhile ourc . of prot in, iron, and
ertain B vitamins; vcg t.abl mak im1 Jr nt
contributions of vitamin A; · nd oran, JUi
and juic s and fruits that are fortified with
vitamin C provide substantial amounts of this
nutrient. "High-meat" dinners, containing meat
and vegetables, provide worthwhile amounts of
several nutrients. (In high-meat dinn rs the
meat appears first in the name-b ef with
vegetables and chicken with vegetabl s, for
example-indicating that meat is the principal
ingredient.) The protein content of hi h-meat
dinners is only about one-half that of strained
meats, such as be f with broth, but about three
times that of oth r dinners, uch a macaroni,
tomatoes, anC: b f. Depending on their
in dients, baby fo d dinners may provide
mor of certain nutrient than strained meat
alone. For ampl , tho containing v getables
provide more vitamin A and tho
containing noodle· or rna aroni provide more
thiamin than meat.
train fruits and d er , ' hich ac aunt
for a high perc nlage of baby food al s,
provid food nergy but, unle · fortifi d, do
not provide worthwhile · moun of nu ri nt .
ugar i ad d to all train d fruit. ugar and
m difi d corn or pio tar h, or b h,
ingr di n in all d . r . Th ing:r i nt
incre arb hy r. t and fo n r y lev •I .
Th fr qu nt u of train fruit and
in pla of formula and · • al
di ts that ar short m nutri n .
11
"''!
r
t"" ....
,_..
-.l
Table 2. Cost and nut ive value of 100 grams (approximately 3's oz) of selected strained baby foods prepared corrmercially
and at hom" I
p
Food Cos~2
Calcium
Food
Iron 1 energy
Carbohydrate
Fat Sodium~
CHICK!:.\', prepared-Commercially
(with broth)
At home (flesh only) ..•...
CARROTS, prcpared-Cocccrcially
.•....•.......
At home (from fresh) ..... .
At home (from canned) .... .
GREEN BEANS, pn.'}>ared--
Commcrcially ............. .
At home (from fresh) ..... .
At home (from canned)
At home (from frozen) .....
PEARS, prcparc<l--
Commcrcially ............. .
At home (from fresh) ..•...
Applesauce, prepared-Commercially
.•............
At home l from fresh) ..... .
At home (from canned
appl csauce) ............. .
12.9
8.8
3.2
39.0
36.3
39.0
23.1
14 .• 8
7.9
9.8
14.8
15.5
14.0
14.5
14.1
13.8
14. 1
8.3
6.5
Protein
2
3
7
1()7
value
7
13
13
( 5)
I
73 (1)
166 7
3 564
4 700
3 1,000
5 18
6 36
6 31
6 39
2 (5)
3 1
( 5)
3
3
111
110
129
8
(G)
5
(G)
IS
17
6
14
34
11
14
( ~)
3
8
6
3
mine
10
18
18
4
10
4
12
4
10
4
8
14
6
14
4
4
2
6
4
Riboflavin
3
5
2
28
38
27
27
5
8
5
13
15
8
15
3
7
3
3
2
Niacin
3
5
4
32
58
42
108
5
6
5
4
6
4
5
2
1
0
2
2
2
2
2
5
2
4
6
5
6
8
8
7
2
2
3
2
l1
25
8
10
3
4
5
5
4
10
5
2
2
2
2
3
Kcal
52
4
IS
112
214
123
J 71
35
31
30
29
25
24
25
72
61
82
54
41
G
11.8
10.5
10.7
( 5)
0
.1
0
7.6
7.1
6.7
5.3
5.4
5.2
5.7
17.2
15.3
20.0
14 .1
10.8
G
0.3
.3
. 1
6.5
9.5
7.8
4.8
. 1
.2
. 3
. 2
.2
.2
.l
. 2
.4
. 1
.3
. 2
Mg
1
1
166
60
156
75
140
33
236
105
4
236
1
6
2
8
2
lfor commercially prepared foods the costs nnd nutritive values arc averages for foods from 3 major baby foo,l manufacturers; and for
home-prepared foods nutritive values arc derived from "Composition of l'oods ... raw, processed, prepared" (15).
2J>rices in Washington, D.C., .July 1976.
JAllowance specified for use in nutritional labeling of foods for infants by the Food and Drug Administration. Title 21. Code Of
Federal Regulations CF2(J0-199). 125.1 b. Percentages in this table have not been rounded as required for usc in food labels.
"Products vary widely in content depending on the amount, if any, of the nutrient added.
Svalue judged to be insignificant or was riot determined by manufacturers.
Grnsufficicnt data available t6 provide a reliable value.
7
0nly 1 of 3 manufacturers gave a value. It represented 19 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allo1~ancc.
of foods cannot be assured, comm rcially
prepared foods may be a means of safeguarding
the baby' health.
1odern method of baby food processing
ar developed to minimize destruction of
vitamins in the ingredients of baby foods.
However, baby foods prepared by using proper
procedures at home are as nutritious as com-mercially
prepared ones; some ar mor
nutritious. Because of the low total solids
content of orne commercially pr pared baby
foods and the addition of sugar or larch to
many, concenb·ations of protein, vitamins and
minerals are likely to be 1 ss than for corresponding
foods prepared in the home. Beef
and chicken pureed at home provide more of
mos nutrients than commercially strain d be f
and chicken-chiefly because they contain 1 ss
water. Home-prepared beef and chicken with
broth added would provide I ss nutrients and
o t less than hom -pr pared be f and chicken
without broth.
orne con ider low r sodium content of
home-prepared meats, v getables, and meatvegetable
mixtures for the baby an advantage.
Home-prepared meat without add d alt ha a
lower s dium content than comm rcially
train m at. Similarly, sodium levds of veg -
tab! s and of meat and v getablc mixtur s can
b controlled in home pr paration, if fre h or
un alted froz n foods are used in th ir pr
aration. Baby foods pr par •d at home from
cann d m at or v g tabl s fr qu ntly contain
mor s dium than Similar commercially
pr par d baby fo d . Baby food manufactur r
voluntarily limit the level of salt added to baby
foods to no more than 0.25 percent, as
recommended by a special committee of the
National A ademy of Science- ational
R s arch Council.
R cipe changes are made frequently in the
formulation of baby foods, reflecting new
information about infant nutrition advances in
food technology, and new regulations of the
Food and Drug Administration. Because of
such changes tl1 nutritiv values of baby foods
publi h d by the manufacturers, used as the
basi for this artie) , may not represent exactly
th product as currently mark ted. Information
on the lab 1 of baby foods that shows
the list of ingr dients and frequently the
nutritive valu of a s rving, provides a basis for
making s£:>1 ctions f food as marketed. Prices
in Washington, .C., in July 1976 w re us d
for estimating co ts in this arti le. bviously
pric s in oth r pla s and at other tim s might
differ.
Other Considerations
References
onsum1 r Union, Ar I •tb • fnod g
Pnou h for h bi on um. Rpt
'lO (( ): 52 -532. 1
1) Adam. , . f .• utritiv<' value· of American
fo d. in common unit . .S. D pt.
gr. Handh. 456. 291 pp. Washington,
. '. 1975. (5) 575pp.
2 m rican A ·ad my of l' i tri · . om-nwntary
on hrPast f •(•ding and infant (6)
formula including propo d t:andnrd
for formula . J utnt1on llPLilew 3 t :
24 ·256. 1 < 76.
3) nd (7)
r 1od .
(8) H.J. Heinz Co. Nutritional composition
of Heinz products. 48 pp. Pittsburgh,
Pa. 1973.
(9) Maternal and Child Health and Food and
Nutrition Sections. Economy in
nutrition and feeding of infants. A mer.
Jour. Pub. Health 56 (10): 1756-1784.
1966.
(10) National Academy of Sciences-National
Research Council, Food and Nutrition
Board. Recommended daily allowances.
Pub. 2216. 8th ed. Washington,
D.C. 1974.
(11 ational Dairy Council. Current concepts
in infant nutrition. Dairy Coun. Dig.
47 (2): 7-12. 1976.
CONSUMER EXPENDITURES
The Bur au of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S.
Department of Labor, completed its most
recent on umer Expenditure Survey (CES) in
June 197 4. The survey, covering the years
1972 and 1973, is the only comprehensive
of detailed information on family
· p nd itur s and income related to
o ·io onomi and demographic characteristics
. . familif' . It wa undertaken in part to
r vi th weight and associated pricing
am1 If' in th cun nt Consumer Price Index
and in part to obtain timely, accurate, and
etail d inf rmation on how merican families
n an p nd th ir income.
Th 1 7 2-7 3 surv , th ighth major survey
of t p '. and the first ince 1960-61,
of t\ ·o t> arate component : (1) A
urvt> • completed by
JOndent f r two 1-w k period and 2) an
p n 1 ur y in whi h familie
inform lion t intervi wer every
3 month ov r a 15-month p riod. 1
Pr limin r tl ta fr m tht> di ry urv Y and
fr m h in" rvil \ p n 1 sur\'e · have b en
I db.' BL in. v ral r•porl!. 2
(12) Ross Laboratories. To attain sound
nutritional performance during
infancy. 14 pp. Columbus, Ohio. 1975.
(13) U.S. Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare. Practices of low-income
families in feeding infants and small
children. In Proceedings of National
Workshop, March 17-18, 1971. 125 pp.
Warrenton, Va. 1972.
(14) Infant care. U.S. Dept. Health,
Education, and Welfare Pub. (OHD)
75-15, 72 pp. Washington, D.C. 1973.
(15) Watt, B.K., and Merrill, A.L. Composition
of foods-raw, processed, prepared.
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Handb. 8.
190 pp. Washington, D.C. 1963.
SURVEY, 1972 AND 1973
Diary Data
• BLS Report 448-1. First-year data, cross
tabulations, selected average weekly
expenditures covering the period July
1972-June 1973. (Issued November
1975.)
• BLS Report 448-2. Second-year diary
data, one-way tabulations, selected
average weekly expenditures, covering the
period July 1973-June 1974. (Issued
April1976.)
• BLS Report 448-3. Selected weekly
expenditures cross-classified by family
characteristics. (Issued August 1976.)
Interview Panel Data
• BLS Report 455-1. Motor vehicle
purchases and repairs, selected average
annual data from 2-year interview survey
for 1972 and 1973. (Issued February
1976.)
• BLS Report 455-2. Average annual
expenditures and service groups classified
by family characteristics, 1972 and 1973.
(I ued May 1976.)
Ill
1 formation Office, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U S.
; parlment of Labor, 441 G treel, rw., Room 1539,
be h m d h~ wrilin to W shingt.on, D.C. 20210.
9
LI. 1 7
NUTRITIVE VALUE AND COST OF "FAST FOOD" MEALS1
by Pamela lsom
How nutritious are "fast foods" and how
much do they cost compared with similar
home-prepared foods? Some comparisons we
have made show that foods from McDonald's
Restaurant (fast foods) are as nutritious as
similar foods from home but cost twice as
much. We chose McDonald's primarily because
detailed food composition information is available
for foods they serve. 2 Other research has
shown that items such as hamburgers and
cheeseburgers from McDonalds' , Burger King,
and Burger Chef are remarkably similar in
proximate composition although the larger
specialty burger from these franchises may
differ because of their size. 3
utritive values for food at home were taken
from USDA's "Nutritive Value of Foods,"
Home and Garden Bulletin o. 72. The
amounts of major ingredients in sandwiche
served at tcDonald 's were verifi d for r as nableness
by McDonald's Corporation, and then
duplicated as closely as possible in homeprepared
sandwiches. The hom -prepared appl
pie and milkshake were mad from r cipes
commonly us d at home, and commer ially
frozE>n french fries were used to make the
home-prepared fri s.
Nutritive Value
.1eals. The nutritiv valu s of s v n m al type
combinations of foods from McDonald'
and corresponding meals prepar d at home ar
similar tabl 1 ). Most diff renee probably
10
result from the lack of comparability of data,
rather than real differences in the nutritional
quality of the meals. Whether bought at
McDonald's or prepared at home, the nutritive
value of each meal depends principally on the
foods it contains.
Of the sev n fast-food-ty meals, five
provid on -fifth or more of the . . Recommended
Daily Allowance U. . RD ) for
protein, thiamin, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid.
None of the m als provide much vitamin A.
Only the meal with th milk hake exceeds
one-fifth of th . . RDA for calcium.
Fat lev ls in
Individual
RE I.\\
on
r
C""
-.1
ood
n
ource
.. ,. ........
.......
rcnch
olate
cl>onald's ....••....
Home-prepared .......
Hamburger, french
fries, soft drink,
apple pic:
~lcllonnld's ..........
Home-prepared .......
Cheeseburger, french
fries, soft drink:
I
~1cDona ld' s .. . .. .. .. . I Home-prepared .......
Big ~lac, french fries,
soft drink:
~1c0onald' s . . . . . . . . . . I
llome-prcpared .......
'•-1 b hamburger, french
fries, soft drink:
McDonald's .......... I
Home-prepared .......
Pillet of fish, french
fries, soft drink:
McDonald's ..........
Home-prepared .......
lue and cost of meals from McDonald's Restaurant and meals prepared at home I
Percentage 1 Nutrient. percent of U.S. Recommended na i ly Allowance
of •
food
cncn,y 2
22
24
30
32
32
33
24
26
33
32
28
29
28
24
!'rote in
24
31
42
46
28
34
29
37
45
43
45
46
28
26
Vit.
A I Thiamin
value
·' 19
2 24
3 25
13 29
3 20
2 30
6 21
5 24
4 25
6 31
5 23
2 28
2 23
1 23
--
Riboflavin
2·1
18
57
46
26
22
32
22
40
27
39
24
23
14
---
Ca 1 c i urn I l ron
6 16
6 22
47 21
38 28
8 19
7 23
15 15
16 23
17 23
18 27
8 24
8 29
lO 11
6 13
Ascorbic
acid
21
27
21
30
24
28
21
27
23
27
20
27
17
27
Percentage
of food
energy
from fat
32
32
31
39
38
33
35
34
44
37
36
36
40
32
. .\ctual
dollars
0.80
.45
1. 00
.53
1. OS
. 52
.88
.50
1. 25
.58
1.15
.55
1.05
.so
Cost 3
Percentage
re l ated
to homeprepared
178
100
189
100
202
100
176
100
216
100
209
100
210
100
1Nutritive values of commercially prepared foods from "Nutritional Analysis of Pood Served at ~lcDonald' s Restaurants" based on a
nationwide study by the 1'/ARF Institute, Madison, Wis., January 1973, for McDonald's Corporation; of home-prepared from "Nutritive Value
of Foods," HG- 72.
2An alle>wance arbi trar i1y set at 2, 600 kcal. Recommended Dietary Allowance (1974) set by the National Academy of Science-National
Research Council is 2,100 kcal for a teenage girl and 3,000 kcal for a teenage boy.
3Prices from Washington, D.C., area July 1976.
~ Table 2. Nutritive value and cost of food from McDonald's Restaurant and food prepared at home 1
Sutrient, percent of U.S. Recommt>ndt•d Daily Allow<~nCt' Cost 3
Pcr.:<'ntage Percentage Percentage Food of \'it. Ribo - Ascorbic of food Actual related and food Protein A Thiamin flavin Calcium Iron acid energy dollars to home- source energy 2 value from fat prepared ..__
Hamburger:
.Donald's .•....•.•. 10 20 3 12 21 5 14 6 36 0.30 125
Home-prepared •...•.. 13 28 2 19 15 5 17 2 37 . 24 100
urger:
12 25 6 13 30 14 13 6 41 .38 131
15 34 s 19 19 15 18 2 41 .29 100
Big 1olac:
Donald's ••••••••.• 21 40 4 18 38 16 21 8 52 .75 203
Home-prepared •••.•.. 21 40 6 25 24 17 23 2 42 .37 100
.rgcr:
16 41 5 15 37 7 21 5 41 .65 191
18 43 2 23 21 6 25 2 ·l3 . 34 100
16 2t.l 2 IS 21 9 9 2 49 .55 190
13 23 1 17 II s 8 2 37 .29 100
........... s 4 (It) 7 2 1 2 IS 42 .30 231
3 (It) 5 3 I 4 25 38 .13 100
10 3 (It) (It) 2 2 3 3 51 .25 357
s 3 ( .. ) 6 4 1 1 2 37 .07 100
.......... I 12 17 ( .. ) 5 33 41 5 ('+) 20 .40 267
~ ••--~ --~-~red ....... 11 15 11 5 28 32 6 3 43 .15 100
["' McDonald's !i ......... I 4 ('+) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .20 250
-< .. . ('-) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .08 100
------ ~ ..
prepared foods from "Nutritional Analysis of Food Scrwd at l·lcDonald's Restaurants" based on a
tt.utc, ~tndi~on, 1\'is., January 1973, for ~tcnonald's Corporation; of home-prepared from "Nutritive Value
RccOI:Il!lcnded Oietnry ,\llo\o:nncc (197-1) set by the National Academy of Sciencc-.'lational
::0 ..... ~~u·~ .. ~~·~·· ·~ •.• ~~ ··-u-• ·-· - ·--··-.. - .... 1 and 3,000 kcal for a teenage boy.
rn 3rriccs from Washington, D.C., area July 1976.
.<.. '-Insignificant amount of nutrient. present. rn S~o nutritive \"alue for soft drink available from I.JcDonald's. Vnluc:; used were from "~utritivc Value of roods," HG-72.
~
the higher levels for thiamin and riboflavin
required for enriched buns, effective July 1,
1975. The McDonald's buns may now have
more of the nutrients added than in 1973,
when the McDonald's nutritive value study was
made. The higher protein levels for the homeprepared
hamburger and cheeseburger may be
because the amount of ground beef assumed
for the home-prepared items (2 oz) was greater
than the amount in the McDonald's sandwiches,
or because there was a higher
proportion of protein in the ground beef used
in the home-prepared burgers.
McDonald's shake, with a nonfat dry milk
base provides considerably more calcium and
less fat than the shake made at home from
whole milk and ice cream. The level of fat in
the home-prepared shake would be lower, of
cour e if skim or nonfat dry milk were used.
Because McDonald's shake is relatively free of
milk fat, it contains an insignificant amount of
fat-soluble vitamin A-a nutrient that is short
in the fast-food-type meals.
The food energy provided by fat in the Big
lac an fillet of fish sandwich from
IcDonald 's substantially exceeds amounts
provided by th ir home-prepared counterparts.
One xplanation for this difference may be the
amount of pread assumed to be on each
sand\ i h. n table poon was used in the
home-pr par d sandwiches; lcDonald 's may
use mor . 1cDonald's apple pie has a higher
1 vel of fat than pi made at home-probably
due to a greater proportion of crust in the
McDonald's pie.
French fries made at home supply more
ascorbic acid than McDonald's fries, according
to these estimates. However, this difference is
probably not of great importance because of
variation in ascorbic acid content due to
variety of the potato, storage conditions, and
method of preparation.
Cost
Meals from McDonald's are about twice as
expensive as those made at home according to
these comparisons, which are based on prices in
the Washington, D.C., area in July 1976. One
of the hamburger meals (table 1) and the
cheeseburger meal cost 1.8 times as much as
the home-prepared meals, while the Big Mac
cost 2.2 times as much.
The cost relationships of the individual food
items from McDonald's compared with those
from home vary greatly_ McDonald's hamburger
and cheeseburger are the best buys,
costing as little as one-fourth to one-third more
than home-prepared ones. On the other hand,
apple pie from McDonald's costs more than 3lh
times as much as pie made at home.
Costs of meals prepared at home do not take
into account the cost of fuel used in cooking or
the value of time spent in shopping for food,
preparing the meal, and cleaning up afterward.
Expenses for travel to and from McDonald's
are not considered.
WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
In July 1 75, \ om n repr ented 51.3
per 'nt of th total population and
outnumt r d m n b • 5.6 million. The average
30 y ar , with 12 percent
r. In 1975, the average
ar .
76.4 years1 -an
1900. This
t mor sing! w m n than ever
han ing marital pat rn · includ~ later
mr n, , . nd lll in rc • in the rat of dwvr ·
ln 1 7 5, 10 pt>rct•nt of '· m 20 to 24 years
LL 1 7
of age were single, compared with 28 percent
in 1950.
Women are better educated. The number of
women 25 to 29 years old completing 4 years
of college increased 73 percent between 1970
and 1975 with 19 percent of women 25 to 29
years old in this cetegory in 1975. With the
increase in female college students has come an
increase in the number of women in traditional
'male" majors. For example, the percentage of
women enrolled in engineering increased from
2 percent in 1972 to 6.8 percent in 1974.
Despite these increases, however, the number
of women college graduates is only about
three-fourths the number of male graduates.
13
\i omen have significantly increased their
participation in the labor force. Between 1950
and 1976 the number of working women
doubled, while the number of working men
increased by about one-fourth. The sharpest
increase in working worn n was among married
women. In 1950 only about 25 percent of the
married women were in the work force, but in
1975, 44 percent were in the work force.
\ orking wives make significant contributions
to the family income. The median income of
husband-wife families in 1974 where the wife
was not employed was 12 082, compared
with 16,461 wh n the wife was employed.
INCOME OF FAMILIES AND
ONE-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS
14
FAMiliES
"'"' emplo~d
not emplo"y'"e'd
Male twt.d,
no W!fe
0 E PERSON
IIOUSaiOlDS
••••••••• 812.836
•••••••••• 113,847
............. 18 4111
••••••••• 12.082
•••••• 8413
.......... ..... 11737
not incr as d as greatly as the income of
families headed by men. In 1974 the median
income of f male-headed families was 4 7
perc nt of the median income of male-headed
families. Over 32 percent of all female-headed
families ar below the poverty 1 vel, as
compared with only 6 percent of male-headed
families.
One important problem resulting from the
r cent tr nd in women' employment and
family patt ms is that of child car and child
r aring. In r asing proportions of childr n are
living in families that o not follow the
traditional family mod 1 of husbandbreadwinner
and wife-homemaker. In March
1970, 38 1 r ent of all hildren und r ag 18
in hu and-wife famili where th h ad
in multiworker
may
CHILDREN LIVING IN FAMILIES•
SPENDING ON MEDICAL CARE
Total Expenditures
Spending for medical care totaled $118.5
billion in fiscal year 197 5-an average of $54 7
per person.1 Between 1974 and 1975 spending
increased 14 percent, a significantly higher
increase than that between 197 3 and 197 4
when price controls in the health industry were
in effect for most of the year. Since 1965,
pending on medical care has tripled from
$38.9 billion to $118.5 billion, and as a share
of the Gro s National Product, it has risen from
5.9 percent to 8.3 percent. Inflation has
accounted for 53 percent of the increase in
medical care spending between 1965 and 1975.
Technological developments in areas such as
equipment and drugs, the use of new lifesaving
(but oft n costly) medical techniques, and
greater u of medical care services accounted
for 38 p rcent of the increase. Population
growth has had relatively little effect on
medical care spending in the past 10 yearsaccounting
for only 9 percent of the increase.2
Types of Expenditures
l nding for health care ervices of direct
ben fit to th indi idual (per onal health care),
uch as ho pital care, phy icians' services, and
drug , ac ounted for 87 percent of all medical
p nding in 1975. pending for research,
con tru lion, administration, and disease
ontrol and d • tion accounted for 13 percent
(tab:e 1 .
llo pitnl ·ar r pre nts the largest share of
th p rsonal h ruth car dollar. Approximately
6. billion w, p nt on hospital care in
1 7 5; th i 15 perc nt of the personal
LL 7
health care bill. Expenditures for physicians'
services was the second largest category,
accounting for 22 percent of personal health
care. Drugs and drug sundries accounted for 10
percent; nursing-home care accounted for
9 percent; and dentists' services accounted for
7 percent.
The Consumer Price Index for medical care
was 183.7 in June 1976, higher than the index
for all items-170.1, and the indexes for
individual categories of food, housing, transportation,
and apparel and upkeep (see chart).
Medical care prices increased 9.3 percent
between June 1975 and June 1976. The only
major item increasing faster than medical care
was transportation at a rate of 10.7 percent.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
%OF lao:r---------------,
Hospital prices, as measured by semiprivate
room charges, have risen faster since June 1975
than prices for any other medical care item. In
June 1976, hospital prices were 265.1 on the
Consumer Price Index, in comparison with an
overall medical care index of 183.7 (table 2).
The cost to hospitals in 1974 of providing
care was $111 per adjusted patient day3_-a
jump of 178 percent since 1965. Wage
increases accounted for 36 percent of the price
rise, and higher prices paid by hospitals for
good and ervice accounted for 16 percent.
3This j the e timated cost of providing a day of
in-patient ho pit.al care adjusted to account for the
volum of outpatient visits.
15
Thus, over one-half th rise in cost during this
period can be attributed to th additional
expen nece ary to maintain the same level of
hospital services. The remainder of the cost rise
was largely due to additional staff and
acquisition of new equipment.
Hospital costs vary gr atl b tw n
geographic regions. Costs were a third higher in
metropolitan hospitals than in nonmetropolitan
facilities in 1973. Th total
expen e per adjusted-patient-day ranged from
70 in lissi sippi to $145 in Alaska. Th cost
level variation of hospital car can depend on a
number of factors, including hospital charac ristics
and p rsonal income I vel in the
urrounding community. Patt rns of medical
practice, such as average 1 ngth of hospital stay
and intensity of car , vary geographically and
can affect costs. The averag cost per day also
will vary according to the volume of outpatient
visits, becaus the cost of an outpatient visit is
considerably less than that of an in-patient day.
Prices for profe sional services have also
in rea d sharply in recent years. After the
lifting of pric controls of the Economi
tabilizaLion Program, physicians' fees
increased 13.4 perc nt and dentists' f es
incr as d 11.2 p r nt.
Medical Care Funding
Public funding of p r. onal health car is
b coming increa ingly m r important. Public
funds paid for about 40 p r nt of th 1975
personal h alth ar bill, on urn paid out of
pocket for 32 p rc nl, and oth r priva
sour s paid for 28 p r · nt (tabl 3). Publi
Table l. National health expenditures by type of expenditure 1975
1
Type of expenditure
Total ......................... .
Personal health care .......... .
Hospital care ............... .
Physicians' services ........ .
Drugs and drug sundries ..... .
~rsing-homc care ........... .
Dentist ' servi ccs .......... .
Other health services ....... .
Eyeglass sand appliances ... .
Other professional services ..
~npersonal heal h care ....... .
Exp nses for prepayment
and dministration ......... .
Construction ................ .
Governm nt public health
activi ies ................. .
Rc arch ...............•.....
mount
MiZ . doZ .
118,500
103,200
6,600
22, 100
10,600
9,000
7,500
3,000
2,300
2' 100
15,300
<1,593
4,500
3, 57
2,7co
Source: fu ll r, M. S., and GH> on, R.
f'sc 1 year 1975. Soc. Se~ . BUZ.
Educat'on, and lfar .
P rc ntage
of
to al
i n 1 h
, 197 .
100
7
13
h
. I
Perccnt,g
of
p
00
s
22
10
9
7
3
2
00
9
spending for personal health care increased
more than 22 percent between 1974 and
1975--about twice the increase for private
spending. In 1975, 55 percent of hospital care
was paid for by public funds and 37 percent
was paid .by private funds. Payment for
physicians' services came almost equally from
public funds, private funds, and direct payments
by consumers. Dentists' services and
drugs were paid for almost entirely through
direct payments by consumers.
Public funds for health care came from all
levels of government-Federal, State, and local.
The Federal share of total public spending
always has been the largest, but with the
advent of Medicare and Medicaid it became
dominant, jumping from 42 percent of public
spending in fiscal 1966 to 60 percent in
1967-th first full year of the two programs.
In 197 5, the Federal share of public spending
''as 67.5 percent. Expansion of the Medicare
and . 1 :di aid programs accounted for 72 percent
of the overall rise in public spending in
1975. Th i\ledicare program cost almost $15
billion in 197 5, an increase of about 30 percent
ov r the previou year. Most of Medicare
ndin was for hospital care and physicians'
ni for the elderly and di abled. The
1 li aid program, primarily for the poor and
m dically indig nt, cost 13 billion in
1 75-up 25 p r nt from 1974.
In 197 4, 163 million per on or 78 percent
of UH hilian p pulation had private health
in mane tha co red ho pital-care costs; 75
1 r nt " r cov red for phy·icians' s rvices.
For oU1 ~r t ·p s f car , th proportion of the
1 pulati n in ured were mall r. Only 16
JX rc nt of th ivilian populati n had some
cov ra <' for d ntal car and 33 percent had
cov ra ( for nursing-hom care-mostly in the
t rm of uppl m nt t le li , re c v rag for
Ul a • nd di hied.
lo t their health
benefits due to preexisting conditions, age-limit
restrictions, benefit ceilings, substantial
deductible payments, waiting periods, and noncoverage
of some types of illnesses.
Because the extent of overlap or duplication
in numbers of persons covered by public
programs and private insurance is not known,
the number of persons without economic
protection against the costs of health care and
illness is not easily determined. It is estimated,
however, that about 38 million Americans
under age 65 have no private insurance for
hospital care, that 41 million have no surgical
insurance, and that 22 million or 12 percent of
the population have no health insurance
protection under either public or private
programs.
Medical Care Spending by Age
The average personal health care bill in 1975
for persons over age 65 ($1,Z60) was almost
four times greater than that for persons under
age 65 {$375). Almost one-half of the expenditures
of the aged was for hospital care and 25
percent was for nursing-home care. Persons
under age 65 spent nearly the same percentage
on hospital care, but only 2 percent on nursinghome
care. The younger age group spent a
larger percentage on physicians' and
professional services and on drugs and drug
sundries.
Public funds, mainly 1edicare and Medicaid,
paid for over 65 percent of the personal health
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for health
expenditures, June 1976
(1967 = 100)
Expenditure category
ledica1 care ............... .
Drugs and pre criptions .. .
Physicians' fees ... · · · · · · ·
Dentists' fees ........... .
Hospital care 1
. · · · · · · · · · · ·
Index
183. 7
126.0
188.3
171.6
265.1
l,xs measured by semiprivate room charges.
·ource: u.s. Department of Labor, Bureau
of Labor statistics.
17
...
r;"'
!"!".
Table 3. Distribution of personal health care dollars by type of expenditure and source of fu nds, 1975
Type of expenditure
11 expenditures ....... .
no
services ....
drug sundries
. 3 SCr\'lCCS ••.
Soun:c of funds
Direct Direct
payments payments Pri-
1\ll I b)'
Private Public All by vatc I Public
sources con- funds 1 funds2 sources con- funds 1 funds2
sumers sumcrs
- - - - - l'n.t-t,"I-CJn CJ.CJt.t,c.u·;; - - - - -
I
- - - - - Pereent
103.200 33.599 28,677 40,92•1 100
6,600 3.736 17.221 25,643 100
.100 7,618 8.627 5,855 100
7.500 6.347 738 4.15 100
10,600 9,011 634 905 100
16,400 6,887 1,407 8,106 100
private health insurance, philnntht·opy, and industry.
and local spending.
32.6 27 .8 39.6
8.0 37.0 55 .0
34.5 39.0 26.5
84.6 9 .9 5.5
85 . 0 6.5 8. 5
42.0 8 .6 49.4
1 services, eyeglasses and appliances, nursl11g-home care, and other services
nd Gibson, R. t-1. National health expenditures . fiscal year 1975 . Soc. See . B
Dept. Hcnl th, Education, and l'.'clfare.
care expenses of the aged in 1975. In contrast,
persons under age 65 financed their health-care
expenditures mostly with private funds, consisting
of private health insurance premiums
and direct payments. Public program expenditures,
which represented only 29 percent of
the total for this age group, were limited
mostly to the poor and the disabled (table 4).
Sources: Mueller, M.S., and Gibson, R.M., National
h alth expenditures, fiscal year 1975, Soc. Sec. Bul.
39(2): 3-20, Feb. 1976, U.S. Dept. Health, Education,
and Welfare. Mueller, M.S., and Gibson, R.M., Age
differences in health care spending, fiscal year 1975,
Soc. Sec. Bul. 39(6): 18-31, June 1976, U.S. Dept.
Health, Education, and Welfare. Mueller, M.S., and
Piro, P .A., Private health insurance in 197 4: A review
of coverage, enrollment, and financial experience, Soc.
Sec. Bul. 39(3): 3-20, March 1976, U.S. Dept. Health,
Education, and Welfare. U.S. Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, Social Security
Administration, The Size and Shape of the Medical
Care Dollar, Chart Book/1975, Pub. No. (SSA)
76-11910. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Consumer Price Index.
Table 4. Per capita spending for personal health care by age, type
of expenditure, and source of funds, 1975
Category Under
65
Over
65
Dollars Percent Dollars Percent
TI'PE OF E'PE DITURE
Total .................. .
llospital care ........ .
Physicians' services ..
0 her professional
ser i e · .......... . . .
Drug nd drug sundries
i'Ur ing-hom care .....
0 h r health servi e
SOUR E OF FU1 OS
Tot 1
Di
375
375
. , nd Gibson, R. d.
1 • r 1975. o . Sec. Bul.
l·du a ·on, , nJ I lfare.
LL 7
100
45
24
12
11
2
6
100
34
35
29
2
1,360
1,360
100
44
16
3
9
25
3
100
29
5
66
0
Age differences in health care
39(6): 18-31, 1976. u.s.
19
FOOD FOR THE FAMILY-A COST-SAVING PLAN
'Food for the Family- Cost- aving Plan "
Home and Garden Bulletin No. 209, is a new
publication from SD . It is designed
peciall for families who want to follow the
U DA low-<:o t food plan. Guides for planning
and preparing well-balanced meals at low ost
and information on food shopping are
included. Sample menus are shown for the
food manager who has little time for food
preparation, as well as for the food manager
who has considerable time for and interest in
cooking. Tested recipes for some foods in the
sample menus are included. To obtain a free
copy, send a postcard to the Offic of
Communication, Department of
gri ultur , \ ashington, D.C. 20250. Requ st
publication by name and numb r and include
your ZIP cod .
FOOD FOR THRIFTY FAMILIES
"Food for Thrifty Famili s," a sampl meal
plan for a month following the D thrifty
food plan, illustrates the kind of nutritious
meals families receiving food stamps and others
who want to economiz on food might rv .
Included are menus for 31 days and lisls of
food and test d recip s to provid meals for a
family of four persons. orne tips on plannin
and shopping for nutnttou and
m al ar al o •iv n. 1 o obtain fr
nd a po t ·ar to Lilli
Communi at10n, of
Agricultur , \\ · tinf!Wn, D. . 20250. R qu ·t
publication by nam and includ ) our ZIP
cod.
THE APPROPRIATE FAMILY FOOD PLAN
b · lkuy P t ·rkin
afford-tab!
diff r from imilar tabl
20
~
-r
-.1
,5
s.oo 0
5,000 to
10,000
10,000 to
$15,000
$15,000 to
$20,000
$20,000 to
$30,000
$30,000 or
more
amilies of different sizes and incomes can usually afford, winter 19761
1-person
ilic
Thrifty ,or
Low-cost
odcrate-cost
Liberal
ibcral
Liberal
Liberal
-person
families
Thrifty or
Low-cost
Low-cost or
Moderate-cost
Moderate-cost
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
3-pcrson
families
Thrifty 2
Thrifty or
Low-cost
Low-cost or
Moderate-cost
Moderate-cost
Liberal
Liberal
4-person
families
Thrifty 2
Thrifty or
Low-cost
Low-cost
Low-cost or
Moderate-cost
Moderate-cost
Moderate-cost
or Liberal
5-person
families
Thrifty 2
Thrifty 2
or Low-cost
Low-cost
Low-cost
Moderate-cost
Moderate-cost
or Liberal
6-person
families
Thrifty 2
Thrifty 2
Thrifty or
Low-cost
Low-cost
Low-cost or
Moderate cost
Moderate-cost
or Liberal
lsased on costs for the food plans estimated for winter 1976, and on data from the Consumer Expenditure
Survey Series: Diary Data 1972 (BLS Report 448-1), updated to winter 1976.
2Many households of this size and income are eligible for assistance through the Food Stamp Program.
Note: The plan shown in the column corresponding to the number of persons in the family and opposite the
family income before ta~es, costs about the amount a tYPical household of similar size and income spends
~ for food. It is the plan a family of that size and income can usually afford.
ANNUAL HOUSING SURVEYS
The first Annual Housing Survey, which was
conducted in October 197 3, showed that there
were 76 million housing units in the United
States, an increase of roughly 5.8 million units
over the 70.2 million (adjusted for the
estimated undercount of 1.5 million housing
units) in the 1970 census. Approximately
8 million new housing units were constructed
during the 3lh-year period between the 1970
census and the 197 3 Annual Housing Surveyan
annual average of 2.3 million new units. To
some extent, new construction was offset by
losses from the housing inventory through
demolitions, disasters, and other means, such as
changes to nonresidential use.
The median value of single-family owneroccupied
units increased 41 percent from the
median value of $17,100 in 1970 to $24,100 in
197 3, while the median income of homeowners
increased 19 percent from $9,700 to $11,500.
Gross rents also increased significantly over the
31h-year period; the median monthly rent of
$108 in 1970 increased 23 percent to $133 in
1973. The median income of renters increased
14 percent from $6,300 to $7,200 during the
same period. The 1973 figures are subject to
sampling variability as discussed in the report.
The 197 3 Annual Housing Survey showed
that 3.6 percent of the occupied housing units
in the Nation lacked complete private
plumbing facilities compared with 5.5 percent
in 1970. Only 2.8 percent of the Nation's
households experienced a breakdown in their
water supply-3.3 percent had a breakdown in
their flush toilet, and 1.2 percent had a
breakdown in their sewage disposal system. 1
The neighborhood conditions most
frequently mentioned as "being present to an
objectionable extent," were street noise and
heavy traffic-by 46 percent and 29 percent,
respectively. Public transportation was the
neighborhood service most frequently cited as
being inadequate-by 32 percent of the households.
Despite these problems, 80 percent of all
1 A breakdown refers to a complete Jack of running
water, or a completely un:.:sable toilet or sewage
system during the 90 days preceding the survey.
22
households in the Nation rated their neighborhoods
as good or excellent places to live.
Data from the 1973 survey were published
by the Bureau of the Census in late 1975 and
early 1976. Data from the 1974 survey will be
available in the latter part of 1976.
Reports for the 197 3 survey were issued in
four parts. Each report gives data for the
United States, and by region and urbanization.
2
• Part A, General Housing Characteristics,
shows data on such items as tenure, race,
vacancy status, units in structure, income,
and household composition. Selected
counts and characteristics for new construction
units and units removed from
the inventory since April 1970 are also
shown.
• Part B, Indicators of housing and
Neighborhood Quality, presents data on
both the new and traditional indicators of
housing quality.
• Part C, Financial Characteristics of the
Housing Inventory, presents crosstabulations
of housing and demographic
characteristics by value, rent, and income.
• Part D, Housing Characteristics of Recent
Movers, shows data for households who
moved into their present unit during the
previous 12 months. These data include
reason for move, household composition,
and income. Cross tabulations of present
unit by previous unit cover such topics as
tenure, location, and units in structure.
Several supplemental reports were also issued
for the 1973 survey. Reports from the 1974
survey will include parts A, B, C, and D, plus-
• Part E, Urban and Rural Hou ing Characteristics
for the U.S. and Regions. (The
corresponding information for 197 3 was
included in Parts A through D.)
2 Copies of the r ports for the 197 3 National Surv y
(Part A, 164 pp. at 3.20; Part B, 130 pp. at $2.75;
Part C, 171 pp. at $4.25; Part D, 146 pp. at $2.90)
may be obtain d from the Sup rint nd nt of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. Pric f r repor from the
1974 survey had not ben . tat the tim thi i.sue of
Famtly Economics lleview w nt to pr
FAMILY ECONOMICS REVIEW
• Part F, Financial Characteristics by
Indicators of Housing and Neighborhood
Quality for the U.S. and Regions. (This
information was published as a supplemental
report in 1973.)
A total of approximately 60,000 housing
units were e:mmerated in the 1973 survey. To
provide more detailed and reliable information
for rural areas, the sample was expanded for
the 1974 survey to include an additional
16,000 units located in these areas.
These surveys are designed to provide a
current and ongoing series of data on selected
housing and demographic characteristics. They
are conducted by the Bureau of the Census for
the Department of Housing and Urban
Development in response to a need for
frequent and up-to-date information on the
Nation's housing, which is considered a prime
indicator of the Nation's economic health.
The regular annual surveys will make it
possible to measure changes in the housing
inventory resulting from losses and new construction
and to follow trends in the number
and types of housing, the level of rents and the
price of housing, the frequency of mechanical
and utility breakdowns, and other indicators of
the physical condition of residential structures.
In addition, the surveys collect data on the
characteristics of respondents who moved
during the last year and on the characteristics
of both their previous and current residences.
The Bureau of the Census has made major
efforts to produce reliable indicators of
housing quality since housing data were first
collected in the 1940 census. Traditionally,
Federal and local housing agencies have used
condition of the structure and lack of complete
private plumbing facilities to identify substandard
housing. Housing analysts have
recognized that the concept of inadequate or
poor housing encompasses more than structural
condition and plumbing facilities and that a
broader concept should include measures of
neighborhood quality and evaluations of basic
support systems such as water and sewage
disposal.
The Annual Housing Surveys present
statistics that for the first time describe these
broader concepts of quality . The new items
include such diverse indicators as breakdowns
in heating and plumbing equipment, signs of
water leakage in the base·tnent and roof
physical condition of interior ceilings and'
floors, and the occupants' opinions of conditions
in their neighborhood and of available
neighborhood services.
Source: Office of Management and Budget,
Statistical Reporters, June 1976.
SOME NEW USDA PUBLICATIONS
(Please give your ZIP code in your return address when you order these.)
Single copies of the following are available free from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Please
address your request to the office indicated.
From Office of Communication, Washington, D.C 20250:
• A GUIDE TO BUDGETING FOR THE FAMILY. G 108. Revised March 1976.
• RENOVATE AN OLD HOUSE? G 212. March 1976.
From Economic Research Service, Division of Information, Washington, D.C. 20250:
• POPUL TION CHA GE IN NONMETROPOLIT AN CITIES AND TOWNS. AER 323.
February 1976.
Fr m Farmer Coop rative Service, Information Division, Washington, D.C. 20250:
• FARMER COOPERATIVE PUBLICATIONS. FCS Information 4. Revised May 1976.
From ooperativ Extension Service, Bulletin Department, Washington State University,
Pullman, Wah. 99163:
• II ME RYING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. EB 657. September 1975.
23
F LL 1976
INDEX OF ARTICLES IN 1976 ISSUES
CLOTHING & TEXTILES
Clothing and Textiles: Supplies, Prices, and
Outlook for 1976
Wardrobe Replacement Planning Aid for Families
FAMILY FINANCE
Current Situation and General Economic Outlook
for the Family
Family Expenditures: The Farm Family Living Survey
The Impact of Inflation on Families
New York Family Budget Annual Price Survey
Spending on Medical Care
FOOD
Agriculture Handbook 102 Revised
Agriculture Handbook No. 456
The Appropriate Family Food Plan
Canning and Freezing-What is the Payoff?
Convenience Foods-1975 Cost Update
Costs of Milk and Milk Products as Sources
of Calcium-an Update
Dietary Guidance for Food Stamp Families
Food for the Baby ... Cost and Nutritive Value
Considerations
Food for the Family-A Cost-Saving Plan
Food for Thrifty Families
Food Safety in the Home
Nutritive Value and Cost of "Fast Food" Meals
Organic Foods-An Update
The Outlook for Food Supplies and Prices
Textured Soy Protein as a Ground Beef Extender
The Thrifty Food Plan and the Food Stamp Allotment
HOUSING
Amendments to Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
Annual Housing Surveys
Situation in Housing and Trends Affecting the Family
To Rent or Buy
MISCELLANEOUS
24
Chartbook on Working Women
Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1972 and 1973
Educational Level of the Labor Force
The Hired Farm Working Force of 1974
How Households Use Energy
Population Characteristics
Population Growth in Nonmetropolitan Areas
Recent Changes in American Families
Social and Economic Characteristics of the Older
Population
Some New USDA Charts
Page
11
13
3
3
20
17
15
25
8
20
6
26
5
18
3
20
20
14
10
8
8
3
25
13
22
14
25
17
9
34
24
14
12
7
9
16
17
Issue
Winter
Winter
Winter
Spring
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Summer
Fall
Spring
Winter
Summer
Winter
Fall
Fall
Fall
Summer
Fall
Summer
Winter
Summer
Winter
Spring
Fall
Winter
Spring
Winter
Fall
Winter
Spring
Spring
Summer
Winter
pring
Summer
Winter
FAMILY ECONOMICS REVIEW
MISCELLANEOUS-Continued
Page Issue
Some New USDA Charts 25 Spring
Time Use: A Measure of Household Production
of Goods and Services 17
13
Summer
Women in the United States Fall
SOME NEW USDA CHARTS 1
ENERGY PRICES
%OF 196t
~ ~---------4-----------+--------~
Fuel oil
& coai• ,/
~ ~--------~~----~---+--------~
/ /
~----------+------~~~~~.-.. -~----~--;+·.· ~·~·------~
150 t------+---+-~;.,.o::::...._+--------.j
Consumer / .2-(,_ Ges &
price lodu ~-:,r- ele«:tridty'
I ~---- ~-·········"'"'Gasol~!· re~~tar
~~~.:::=-r·············· I & P"' oum I
100 •
1969 1972 1975 1978
• IIIC.4110EDIII/JOIIDC.IS",..gl!fMK OltW;I,UDE(Jf!tir.'tAN$~0•UIIr#()Nif¥0€Jt
tfOV'tCt WlfEMIOI t..-IOitsr•,..STICS
HOME MORTGAGE RATE AND MONTHLY PAYMENTS
% 1NTEREST ------r----------~;:::::::::--~
8
7~6==-~~~~~~db=-~~~~~r=~
1970 71 72 73 74 75 76
MONTHLY PAYMENTS PER $10,000 BORROWED0
9~§~$84.10 9 -~
8 ~ $76.90
8 173.40
7~ 170.00
7 $8~
• .._.,."""_, (Mr.- roNt111tl$fl . .t' A ~AL""Ifl'll"GII1CCII'(JU.r 1:1
CONSUMER INSTALLMENT DEBT PER CAPITA
DOLLARS
1971 1973 1975 1977
• IN$TA.Ll.M£NT LOANS AND REVOLVING Cft£0/T 0 1/IICLUOESCHECX CREDIT t ESnMA rEO
6END OF 'lEAR Ext:E,TMAY 1911. SOVRCE FlotfttL RESERVE 80ARD.
HOUSING COSTS
% 0F 1~,----------------------,.r---------
120
100
ownership
o,... ~A4 <l~.~rtff•UT »rf.UM0o4T(;"GF Ff0¥11.tt lf(111">it.:W.ItDOATA L.-:=--------------------"';;;:";;_.; :.;:._ -;.;;_"- "...I. .J Nf.O. AAS - ·1'tlll
1 Bl ack and white photographic prints or colored
slid f chart may be ordered from Photography
Divi'ion, 0 ffice of Communication, U.S. Department
of Agricultur , Washington, D.C. 20250. Slides are
FALL 1976
30 cents each and prints are $2.70 (8" X 10" or less).
When ordering, please give negative number, title of
chart, and, if a print, the size desired .
25
0">'
"%j
-~ t"'
><
ttl
(")
0 z
0
3:
0 en
::0
ttl
<:
;J
~
Cost of food at home estimated for food plans at four cost levels, September 197n, U.S. average 1
Sex-age groups
FAMILIES
Family of 2: 2
20-54 years ............. .
55 years and over ....... .
Family of 4:
Couple, 20-54 years and
children--
1-2 and 3-5 years
6-8 and 9-11 years
INDIVIDUALS 3
Child:
months to 1 year ...... .
1-2 years ............... .
3-5 years ............... .
6-8 years ............... .
9-11 years ............... .
~lale:
12-14 years ............. .
15-19 years ............. .
20-54 years ............ ..
55 years and over ....... .
Female:
12-19 years ..... . ·, · · · · · · 1
20-54 years ............. .
55 years and over ....... .
Pregnant ..... . .......... .
!l:ursing ................ . .
Thrifty I plan
22.30
20.00
31.70
38.10
4.60
5.20
6.20
7.90
9.90
10.60
11.70
11.20
9.90
9.50
9.10
8.30
11.40
12.20
Cost for 1 week
Lo1•-cost
plan
DoUars
29.30
26.00
41.10
49.70
5.60
6.60
7.90
10.30
12.80
13.60
15.10
14.70
12.90
12.20
11.90
10.70
14.70
15.60
36.70
32.20
51.40
62 .40
6.90
8.20
9.80
12.90
16. 10
17 . 10
18.90
18.60
16.10
15.10
14.80
13.20
18.20
19.40
Liberal
plan
44.20
38.60
61.70
75.00
8.20
9.70
11.80
15.50
19.30
20 .50
22.80
22.40
19.40
18. 10
17.80
15.70
21.70
23.20
Thrifty [
plan
96 . 70
86 . 60
137.10
165.20
19.70
22.30
26.90
34.30
43.00
46.00
50.50
48.40
42.90
41.00
39.50
35.80
49.60
52.70
Cost for 1 month
Low-cost [Moderate- I plan cost plan
DoZZars
126.80
112.60
178.20
215.20
24.50
28.70
34 . 20
44.40
55.50
59.10
65.30
63.70
56.00
52 . 90
51.60
46.40
63.90
67.80
159.30
139.70
222.60
270.20
29.90
35 .40
42.40
55.70
69.70
74.10
81.80
80.50
69 . 70
65.50
64 .30
57.30
78.70
84.30
Liberal
plan
191 . 60
167 . 40
267 . 60
324.90
35.40
42 . 20
51.20
67.00
83 . 70
89 . 00
98.70
97 . 20
84.00
78.40
77 . 00
68 . 20
93 .90
100.50
1Assumes that food for all meals and snacks is purchased at the store and prepared at home. Estimates for each
plan were computed from quantities of foods published in the l~inter 1976 (thrifty plan) and IVinter 1975 (low-cost ,
moderate-cost, and liberal plans) issues of Family Economies Review. The costs of the food plans were first
estimated using prices paid in 1965-66 by households from USDA's Household Food Consumption Survey with food costs
at :t selected levels. These prices are updated by use of "Estimated Retail Food Prices by Cities" released
monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
210 Percent added for family size adjustment. See footnote 3.
3The costs given are for individuals in 4-person families. For individuals in other size families, the
following adjustments are suggested: 1-person--add 20 percent; 2-person--add 10 percent; 3-person--add 5 percent;
5-or-6-person--subtract ~ percent; 7-or-more-person--subtract 10 percent.
n
Q en
-t
Q
"""
"Q" "
Q c
:=
:a:
Q
3:
m
CONSUMER PRICES
Consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers
(1976 = 100)
Group Sept . 1976 Aug. 1976 July 1976 Sept. 1975
All items .. . ......... ..... .
Food .............. ...... .
Food at home .......... .
Food away from home ... .
Housing ....... . ......... .
Shelter ............... .
Rent ................ .
Homeownership ....... .
Fuel and utilities .... .
Fuel oil and coal ... .
Gas and electricity ..
Household furnishings
and operation .... .... .
Apparel and upkeep .. .... .
t--ten ' s and boys ' .. .. . .. .
Women's and girls' .... .
Footwear ............ . . .
Transportation ......... . .
Private ... .... ... ..... .
Public ...... . .. ... .... .
Health and recreation . .. .
Medical care .......... .
Personal care ..... .... .
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services
172.6
181.6
179 . 9
188.7
179.5
181.5
146.2
194 .4
185.1
250.8
192.2
170.2
150.2
150.1
145.0
152.3
169.5
168.6
176.9
165 .3
187.9
162.8
152.8
153.9
171.9
182.4
181.0
187.8
178.4
180.6
145.6
193.4
183. 7
249.3
190.3
169.1
148.1
147.5
142.2
151.0
168.5
167.8
174.6
164.4
186.8
161.6
151.4
153.8
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
171.1
182.1
180.9
186.9
177.5
179.5
145.0
192.2
182.5
248.1
189.6
168.9
146.5
145.6
140 .2
149.6
167.6
166.8
174.4
163.7
185.5
160 .5
151.2
153.6
Index of prices paid by farmers for family living items
(1967 -- 100)
Sept. Aug . July Sept. Aug.
Item 1976 1976 1976 1975 1975
All items •••••••• 0 •••• 0 •• 178 177 177 169 169
Food 184 --- --- 182 ---
••• 0 •••••• 0 •• 0 •• 0 ••
Clothing --- 189 --- --- 174
............ 0 •• 0
Housing ••• 0 ••••• 0 0 ••••• 180 178 178 170 169
Medical and health ..... 187 186 184 171 170
Education, recreation, 147
and other ............. 154 154 153 148
Source: u.s. Department of Agriculture, Statistical Reporting Serv1ce.
FALL 1976
163.6
177.8
178.2
176.5
168.9
171.6
138.4
183.9
170.9
238.7
174.0
160 . 1
143.5
142.8
139.9
144.6
155.4
153.9
169.5
155.4
172.2
152.1
146.0
148.0
July
1975
168
---
---
169
168
147
27
FAMILY ECONOMICS REVIEW
FALL 1976
CONTENTS
Food for the Baby ... Cost and Nutritive Value Considerations
Betty Peterkin and Susan Walker
Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1972 and 1973
Page
3
9
Nutritive Value and Cost of "Fast Food" Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Pamela lsom
Women in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Spending on Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Food For the Family-A Cost-Saving Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Food for Thrifty Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Appropriate Family Food Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Betty Peterkin
Annual Housing Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Some New USDA Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Regular Features
Some ew USDA Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Index of Articles in 1976 Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cost of Food at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Consumer Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Issued November 1976
28 FAMILY ECONOMICS REVIEW
