Folate Status and Neural Tube Defects in Aboriginal Australians: the Success of Mandatory Fortification in Reducing a Health Disparity. Issue 8 (18th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: D'Antoine, Heather; Bower, Carol
• Is Part Of: Current developments in nutrition. Volume 3:Issue 8(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-06-18
• Subjects: neural tube defects -- folic acid -- Aboriginal -- surveillance -- health promotion -- fortification -- closing the gap; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Nutrition; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 612.3
• DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2475-2991

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Historically, neural tube defects (NTD) in Australia affected around 2 in every 1000 births; 42% higher for Aboriginal births. Following firm evidence of the protective effect of periconceptional folate, health promotion activities encouraged increased folate intake through diet and supplements and limited voluntary food fortification. A 30% reduction in NTD was observed in non-Aboriginal but not Aboriginal infants, widening the disparity between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal rates. Mandatory flour fortification with folic acid in 2009, led to further reductions in overall NTD, and greater reduction among Aboriginal infants, such that rates in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal infants were similar by 2010–2014. Elimination of this disparity will make a small but important contribution to the Australian government's Closing the Gap initiative to reduce disadvantage among Aboriginal people. Long-term, complete, high-quality surveillance data on NTD have been of great value in monitoring trends in and evaluation of public health interventions for NTD in Australia.