[Endemic goiter in public health]

This work focuses on the medical condition known as endemic goiter considering its epidemiological aspects and its interest in Public Health. After delimiting some basic concepts, one will refer to the implications that the shortage of the daily ingestion of iodine, which is the main etiology of the affection in question, brings to the normal physical, mental and social development of the human being. One will discuss the concepts of risk group and of epidemiological risk factors, outline the guiding lines of prevention, namely, health education and point out certain vicissitudes of prevention programs in the field of endemic goiter. Finally, some brief notes on epidemiological aspects of endemic goiter, in Portugal, will be presented.