Thirty years of a ban on the sale of noniodized salt: impact on iodine nutrition in children in Himachal Pradesh, India
Kapil, U.; Sharma, T.Dutt.; Singh, P.; Dwivedi, S.Nand.; Kaur, S.
Food and Nutrition Bulletin 26(3): 255-258
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-5721 PMID: 16222915 DOI: 10.1177/156482650502600301Document Number: 266286
Background: In 2003, a survey conducted by the central iodine-deficiency disorders team in Himachal Pradesh, a state in the goitre-endemic belt of India, revealed that 10 of its 12 districts have an endemic prevalence of goitre. The survey was conducted to provide health programme managers data to determine whether it would be necessary to initiate intervention measures. Objective: To assess the status of urinary iodine excretion and household salt iodization levels after three decades of a complete ban on the sale of noniodized salt in this goitre-endemic state in India as measured by assessment of urinary iodine excretion levels and iodine content of salt at the household level. Methods: The guidelines recommended by World Health Organization/UNICEF/International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders for a rapid assessment of salt iodization were adopted. In each of the 12 studied districts, all senior secondary schools were enlisted and one school was selected by using a random sampling procedure. Two hundred fifty children 11 to 18 years of age were included in the study. Urine samples were collected from a minimum of 170 children and analysed using the wet digestion method. Salt samples were also collected from a minimum of 170 children and analysed using the spot testing kit. Results: All districts had a median urinary iodine excretion level >200 micro g/litre and 82% of the families were consuming salt with an iodine content of 15 ppm or higher. Conclusions: The results of the present study highlight the successful implementation of the salt iodization programme in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This positive impact may be due to the comprehensive strategy adopted by the state government to improve the quality of salt, development of an effective monitoring information system and effective information, education, and communication activities.