How Well-Fed O'Reilly?

If there is such a thing as an average Irishman, he has a larger food intake of calories per year than any other nationality, according to F.A.O. statistics. An average of 3500 calories per head per day are available to the Irishman as against 3430 to the New Zealander (the second largest eater), 3350 to the Dane, and 3260 to the Englishman. The Australians average 3200, the Swiss 3180 and the U.S.A. and Canadians 3110. Statistics are not available from U.S.S.R., Red China and a number of underdeveloped countries.

The F.A.O. figures on net food supply per head have been calculated by adjusting national food productions for in and out trade, stock changes, animal food, seed and non-food purposes, the whole being divided by population estimates. It is far from clear what validity such figures have since there are such wide extremes in a country like Ireland.

Cereals are the largest single calorie supplier in all national diets. Next on the Irish list are milk, fats and oils. (In New Zealand meat is the second largest supplier of calories).