Iodine deficiency disorders in 15 districts of India

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) like goitre and cretinism pose significant public health challenges.
• Assessing the current prevalence and severity of IDDs is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of goitre and other iodine deficiency disorders in children across various Indian districts.
• To assess urinary iodine excretion levels and edible salt iodine content to understand iodine status.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre
• 30 cluster survey
• methodology was employed across 15 districts in ten states.
• Data collected from 1,45,264 children (aged 6-<12 years).
• Urinary iodine excretion and salt iodine content were analyzed in large subsamples.

Main Results:

• Overall goitre prevalence was 4.78%, with significant geographical variations.
• Prevalence of cretinism and deaf-mutism was low (0.072% and 0.27%, respectively).
• Median urinary iodine levels were adequate in most districts, but salt iodine content was sufficient in only 55.45% of samples.

Conclusions:

• A notable decline in goitre prevalence suggests successful public health interventions in many areas.
• Persistent pockets of iodine deficiency necessitate continued monitoring and targeted strategies.
• Ensuring adequate iodine content in edible salt remains critical for preventing IDDs.