Are there health benefits from improving basic nutrition in a remote Aboriginal community

BACKGROUND: Otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media, and skin infections are common in many Aboriginal communities. METHOD: Primary school students in a remote Aboriginal community were examined by blood testing. Audiometry was compared before and 6 months after children were provided with fresh fruit each school day, as were rates of skin infections, and the prescription of antibiotics for otitis media and skin infections. RESULTS: All 12 students who completed both points of hearing testing had slight or greater hearing loss at baseline. Five had improved hearing at 6 months and seven (58%) had no change. Mean antibiotic prescriptions decreased from seven to 1 per month. All 15 tested had low serum vitamin C concentrations and 11 had abnormal iron studies, suggesting their poor health might be caused by poor nutrition. DISCUSSION: Although many other factors may have contributed to the improvements, the results suggest nutrition as a possible factor for poor health outcomes in remote Aboriginal communities, which could be easily overcome. A randomised trial should be conducted. (author abstract)