Lydia Jane Roberts (1879–1965) was a pioneering

nutritionist A nutritionist is a person who advises others on matters of food and nutrition and their impacts on health. Some people specialize in particular areas, such as sports nutrition, public health, or animal nutrition, among other disciplines. In many ...

in childhood nutrition, especially in creating government nutrition standards like the

Recommended Dietary Allowances The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) used in nutrition labeling on food and dietary supplement products in the U.S. and Canada is the daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of healthy ...

(RDA) of

minerals In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...

and

vitamin A vitamin is an organic molecule (or a set of molecules closely related chemically, i.e. vitamers) that is an Nutrient#Essential nutrients, essential micronutrient that an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its ...

s. She studied and taught at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, receiving her Ph.D. in

home economics Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...

in 1928 and later becoming department chair in 1930.

Early life

Lydia Jane Roberts was born June 30, 1879 in Hope Township, Barry County, Michigan to Warren and Mary (McKibbin) Roberts. She was one of four children. Her father was a carpenter. He moved the family to Martian, Michigan not long after the birth of Lydia.

Education

Roberts attended primary and high school in Martin, Michigan.Lydia Roberts 1879-1965
/ref> She completed a one-year course at Mt. Pleasant Normal School in 1899, and was later awarded a Life Certificate from Mt. Pleasant Normal School, allowing her to teach at any Michigan elementary school. Roberts entered with advanced standing at the University of Chicago in 1915 where she majored in home economics under the direction of noted biochemist Katharine Blunt.

Career

After receiving her degree in

in 1917, Roberts worked as an assistant professor at the

. Upon the completion of her Ph.D., she was promoted to Associate Professor. Roberts received full professorship and was appointed to the Chair of the Home Economics Department in 1930. During her time as chair, she also served on the committee for creating the Recommended Daily Allowances, the suggested daily intake of nutrients. Due to mandatory retirement, Roberts left the University of Chicago in 1944 and took on the role of professor and Chair of the

University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico ( es, Universidad de Puerto Rico, UPR) is the main public university system in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a government-owned corporation with 11 campuses and approximately 58,000 students and 5,3 ...

, a position she held from 1946 to 1952 when she retired. After retirement, Roberts continued to be active in initiatives for improvements in nutrition for the families of Puerto Rico.

Work

Roberts had been a leader in the development of the first set of RDAs, or recommended daily allowances. Roberts possessed the knowledge and expertise to create a scientifically sound set of RDAs. Her leadership approach was described as being democratic. Roberts had been a member of the National Research Council’s committee for food and nutrition. She had served on three committees of the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection. She had been a member of the American Medical Association’s Council on Foods and Nutrition. Throughout her career, her main work had been along the lines of improving nutrition for children and families in need.

Achievements

Roberts has been acknowledged for her work in nutrition. She received the Borden award of the Home Economics Association in 1938, the

Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Marjorie Hulsizer Copher (January 26, 1892 – May 19, 1935) was an American dietitian who served in France during World War I. Early life Edith Marjorie Hulsizer was born in Flemington, New Jersey, the daughter Abraham Chalmers Hulsizer and Allet ...

Award in 1952 from the

American Dietetic Association The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a 501(c)(6) trade association in the United States. With over 112,000 members, the association claims to be the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. It has registered dietitian nutr ...

, and in 1957, for her work with nutrition services to children, she received the Marshall Field Award. Additionally, Roberts has authored many books on nutrition. Her most notable book is ''Nutrition Work with Children,'' which was her dissertation for her Ph.D. before publishing it in 1928 as a textbook, focused on the nutritional needs of children. Other books written by Roberts include ''The Road to Good Nutrition'' (1942), ''Patterns of Living in Puerto Rican Families'' (1949), and ''The Dona Elena Project: Better Living Program in an Isolated Rural Community'' (1963).

Death

On May 28, 1965, Roberts died in

Rio Piedras Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

, Puerto Rico, from a ruptured abdominal aneurism. She is buried in East Martin Cemetery in

Martin, Michigan Martin is a village in southeastern Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 410 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land. Demographics 2010 ...

External links

American Women of Science Since 1900: Essays A-H. Vol.1

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Lydia 1879 births 1965 deaths American women nutritionists American nutritionists American women scientists