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Sustainability of a successful health and nutrition program in a remote Aboriginal community
Author(s) -
Lee Amanda J,
Bonson Ann P V,
Yarmirr Daisy,
O'Dea Kerin,
Mathews John D
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1995.tb126048.x
Subject(s) - environmental health , medicine , ascorbic acid , supplemental nutrition assistance program , gerontology , geography , biology , food science , food insecurity , food security , archaeology , agriculture
Objective To assess the long term effect of a nutrition program in a remote Aboriginal community (Min jilang). Design Evaluation of nutritional outcomes over the three years before and the three years after a health and nutrition program that ran from June 1989 to June 1990. Turnover of food items at the community store was used as a measure of dietary intake at Minjilang and a comparison community. Setting A community of about 150 Aboriginal people live at Minjilang on Croker Island, 240 km north‐east of Darwin. A similar community of about 300 people on another island was used as the comparison. Results The program produced lasting improvements in dietary intake of most target foods (inclu ding fruit, vegetables and wholegrain bread) and nutrients (including folate, ascorbic acid and thiamine). Sugar intake fell in both communities before the program, but the additional decrease in sugar consumption during the program at Iinjilang “rebounded” in the next year. Dietary improvements in the comparison community were delayed and smaller than at Minjilang. Conclusions The success of the program at Minjilang was linked to an ongoing process of social change, which in turn provided a stimulus for dietary improvement in the comparison community. When Aboriginal people themselves control and maintain ownership of community‐based intervention programs, nutritional improvements can be initiated and sustained.