To evaluate whether there was food and nutrient equality across occupational social classes and geographical region for members of the 1946 British birth cohort at age 4 years.

Cross-sectional analysis of selected food groups, energy and nutrients from one-day recall diet records.

England, Scotland and Wales in 1950.

Nationally representative sample of 4419 children aged 4 years in 1950 from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) (1946 Birth Cohort).

Significant food and nutrient inequalities occurred by region and occupational social class of the father. Disparity in fruit and vegetable consumption primarily led to the nutrient differences, especially with respect to lower vitamin C and carotene intakes in children from Scotland and from a manual social class background. Lower energy intake in Scottish children was attributable to inequality in the consumption of foods providing fat, and also to the retention of the traditional Scottish diet that included porridge and soups. Consumption of some rationed foods – bacon, orange juice and tea – was inequitably distributed by father's social class, but others, in particular meat and spreading fats, were consumed more uniformly. In contrast to fruits and vegetables, which showed marked sociodemographic disparities, other non-rationed foods such as bread and potatoes were consumed universally.

Local cultural norms may have played as strong a part in sociodemographic differences in the diet of children in the early 1950s as did the strict, post-war food rationing that prevailed. In consequence, nutritional equality was not achieved, and the relatively low intake of antioxidant vitamins during early childhood in certain population groups may have compromised health in the long term.