When Dr Hugh Sinclair persuaded the British government in 1942 to supplement children's diets with orange juice and cod liver oil, he speculated that among other ills, poor diets could lead to anti-social behaviour.
He said health problems associated with poor diets, such as obesity and diabetes, were growing.
BBC: Census 2011: South Wales Valleys rank bottom for health
Almost half of pregnant Egyptian women are anaemic, reflecting an iron deficiency often caused by poor diets.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in people with poor diets (including obese people) and in people who are relatively inactive.
As countries move from extreme poverty to middle-income status, this move from starvation rations to calorie-rich, nutrition-poor diets has become more common.
Despite the trends, more study is necessary to determine whether American acculturation is entirely to blame for poor diets among Latinos, an expert says.
They said the fear of becoming obese, rising food prices, poor diets and a lack of muscle from low levels of exercise may all be playing a role.
Northern European countries fare worse, with their poor diets and lifestyles.
But high triglycerides and low HDL the other components that are measured in a standard cholesterol blood test are a hallmark reflection of the poor diets and sedentary lifestyles that researchers say are behind the wide prevalence of obesity among both children and adults.
Liz Smith, of the Scottish Tories, questioned whether a blanket free meals policy would target the right pupils, while the Liberal Democrats' Margaret Smith said ministers had "failed to make the case" that the plan was the best way to tackle poor diets.
These days British prisoners have access to a far wider range of foods but nevertheless often make poor choices and consume diets that are far from ideal.
And research shows that when the incomes of poor families rise, parents spend the gains on improving the diets of their children through buying fresh fruit.
BBC: Poorer children more likely to be obese, says Anna Soubry
Millions of poor farmers across East Asia raise poultry of some sort in their fields or backyards to supplement their meagre diets and income.
应用推荐