The most obvious result of China's development was that the people's standard of living was improved. Meat and fish were no longer rare like they used to be. Although there were still more extravagant foods out there, most ordinary families wouldn't feel any pressure from buying a sheep to slaughter for New Year's.
In northwestern China, the diet was typically rich in fat and calories. Since it was also New Year's, everyone was eating much more than normal with all the gatherings going on. People weren't paying attention to how much they ate. This was the main cause of so many stomach problems during New Year's.
