Coverage of qualified iodized salt in catering service units in Shanxi Province in 2021 / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the coverage of qualified iodized salt in catering service units where residents ate out in Shanxi Province, so as to provide a basis for taking targeted preventive measures timely and adjusting of intervention strategies scientifically, and to consolidate the achievements of eliminating iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) continuously.Methods:One prefecture level city from each of the five directions of east, west, south, north and middle in Shanxi Province in 2021 was selected. One mountainous county and one plain county were selected in each city. Each of the counties was divided into five sampled regions along five different geographic directions east, west, south, north and middle. From each region, one town/street was selected randomly and then two canteens of enterprises and institutions (canteens), five medium-sized restaurants and five small restaurants were selected from each town/street. We investigated the basic information of catering service units, collected salt samples and then detected the iodine content of these salt samples. In addition, salt iodine testing data of county residents corresponding to catering service units in the 2021 iodine deficiency disorders monitoring were collected from the Shanxi Institute of Endemic Disease Prevention and Treatment, and compared with the survey results of catering service units.Results:A total of 660 salt samples were detected, the median value of salt iodine was 27.65 mg/kg, the coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.39%(656/660), and the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt was 90.76% (599/660). The median value of salt iodine was 26.70, 28.00 and 27.60 mg/kg in canteens, medium-sized restaurants and small restaurants, respectively, and the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt was 95.54% (107/112), 90.42% (236/261), and 89.20% (256/287), respectively. There was no significant difference in the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt among different types of catering service units (χ 2 = 3.92, P = 0.141). The median value of salt iodine was 28.00 and 27.20 mg/kg in mountainous counties and plain counties, respectively, and the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt was 88.67% (266/300) and 92.50% (333/360), respectively. There was no significant difference in the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt among the counties of different geographical types (χ 2 = 2.87, P = 0.090). The median value of salt iodine in catering service units and households was 27.65 and 23.50 mg/kg, respectively, and the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt was 90.76% and 95.91%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt between catering service units and households (χ 2 = 31.19, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The coverage rate of qualified iodized salt in catering service units in Shanxi Province generally meets the national elimination standard (> 90%), but there are still some counties that do not meet the standard. The coverage rate of qualified iodized salt in small and medium-sized restaurants is also not optimistic. It is recommended to strengthen monitoring and supervision of edible salt in catering service units in the future.