EH.R: Male equivalent

Currently I am working on a project which compares the rural living standards in China (Yangzi delta) and western Europe. In this study I reconstructed the daily caloric intake of peasants in China during the 17th-18th centuries. Based on this information I wnated to compare the rural living standards in terms of food intake between China and western Europe. I have collected quite a few material about food consumption in Europe duirng the same time period. There were two sets of measurements used in these studies. Some studies use average consumption as a a unit to measure consumption; others use "male equivalent." None of the studies mention how the figure of male equivalent was obtained. From my understanding male equivalent is often used by anthropologists to estimate the consumption of household. One male equivalent equals to an adult male able body's daily consumption requirement (in kcal). Female adult, unless pregnant, will need 0.6-0.8 male equivalent, children under 6 or elderly above 60 are caculated as 0.4 male equivalent. My question is what was the procedure to come up with male equivalent? Does male equivalent vary from one area to another? Thanks for your assistance Ming-te Pan AD Box 35 Department of History Gonzaga University Spokane, WA 99258-0001 e-mail pan@calvin.gonzaga.edu voice message 509-328-4220 ext. 3602 fax 509-324-5718 >