IODINE-DEFI CIENCY DISORDERS AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN NORTH-WEST IRAN. A 9-YEAR PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background and Aim: We aimed to assess total goiter rate (TGR) and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in schoolchildren between 2007 and 2015, a percentage of iodized salt consumption by households, and salt iodine content at production, distribution and household levels in north-west IranMethods: UIC assessed among schoolchildren in nine consecutive years; 240 schoolchildren aged 8–10 years selected by systematic random sampling each year in the West Azerbaijan Province.Results: Median UIC was > 100 g/l in all years. More than 50 % of children had iodine deficiency (UIC 99 g/l) in 2010 and 2011, while this rate was approximately 15–35 % in other years. Proportion with UIC below 50 g/l was <20 % in all years except 2010 and 2011. Excessive UIC ( 300 g/l) rate was between 5•4 and 27•5 %. TGR decreased from 44 % in 1996 to 7•6 % and 0•4 % in 2001 and 2007, respectively. Iodine level 20 ppm was observed in 87•5, 83 and 73 % of salt at production, distribution and household level, respectively (data from national study in 2007). The last national study in 2014 showed that median iodine level in household salt was 27 ppm.Conclusion: Our focused data suggest that the universal salt iodization programmer is improving the iodine status of schoolchildren in the West Azerbaijan Province of Iran

کلیدواژه ها:

Iodine-defi ciency disorders ، Iodized salt ، School-aged children