Dietary supplementation with radionuclide free food improves children's health following community exposure to 137 Cesium: a prospective study

We examined health effects of school-based food intervention for children in a rural region Narodichi, Ukraine, exposed to low-level radiation through diet of locally produced foods. Until 1995, children received three daily meals with low content of artificial radionuclides which were subsequently reduced to two. Methods: Annual health screening data (1993–1998) were examined using a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity analysis (n = 947 children; 3,573 repeated measurements). Generalized Estimating Equation models evaluated effect of the food supplementation reduction on hematologic measures and prevalence of anemia, acute respiratory illnesses and diseases of immune system. Results: Prior improvement of several hematologic parameters diminished after food supplementation was reduced. From 1995 to 1996, levels of hemoglobin and erythrocytes decreased from 12.63 (95 % CI: 12.56-12.71) to 12.46 g/dL (% CI: 12.39-12.52) and from 4.10 (95 % CI: 4.07-4.12) to 4.02 (95 % CI: 4.00-4.04) × 10 12 /L, respectively. In agreement, the prevalence ratio (PR) of previously declining anemia increased from 0.57 to 1.31 per year (p interaction  
Source: Epidemiologic Perspectives and Innovations - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Source Type: research