[jamesicus]

A government survey conducted shortly after the war revealed that the general civilian population -- especially children -- despite food rationing, was in better health than pre-war. Many reasons were advanced for that phenomenon: a diet that featured a lot of fresh vegetables but was low in refined sugar and fat; sparse availability of sweets; consumption of bread that was usually made from coarse whole wheat; a great deal of walking and bicycling due to petrol being in extremely short supply; new drugs (such as penicillin) for treating infections; etc.