A Cross-Sectional Study of Iodine Nutritional Status Among School-Age Children in Chongqing, China

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the iodine nutritional statuses of children aged 8 to 10 years in Chongqing Municipality in 2023. Methods: In this study, we employed multi-stage stratified cluster sampling of non-boarding children aged 8 to 10 years in all 39 counties (districts). The levels of iodine in household salt and those in random urine samples collected from the subjects were tested. In addition, thyroid gland volume was examined using the ultrasound method in subjects from 13 of the counties (districts). Results: Of the total 7751 children aged 8 to 10 years selected for inclusion in this study, the median salt iodine concentration (SIC) was 26.7 mg/kg, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 24.2-29.4 mg/kg. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 226.4 μg/L, with an IQR of 149.5-309.6 μg/L. The median UIC differed significantly between genders and across various regions (p < 0.001). The prevalence of total goiter in the children was 2.24% (58/2591), and significant differences were observed in the prevalence of goiter in different body mass index (BMI) groups (p < 0.001). The greatest prevalence of goiter was observed in obese children. Conclusions: In 2023, children in Chongqing Municipality aged 8 to 10 years as a whole had adequate iodine nutrition and met the national standard for the eradication of iodine deficiency disorders.