Children's iodine nutrition status before and after implementation of a new standard of iodized salt in Rizhao City of Shandong Province / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the impact of a new salt iodine standard on children's iodine nutrition status.Methods A survey on iodine nutritional status was carried out in Rizhao before and after salt iodine content adjustment (2011,2012-2014).A town was selected from 5 areas (east,west,south,north,middle) in every county of Rizhao,4 villages were selected from each town,and then edible salt samples were collected in 15 households from each village.A central primary school was selected in some sampled town,at least 20 of these children's instant urine samples were collected for detection of urinary iodine,and at least 40 children aged 8-10 years old were selected for examination of thyroid volume.Results Totally 1 164 salt samples were collected before the adjustment,93.7％ (1 091/1 164) of salt iodine concentration was in 18-33 mg/kg;totally 400 urine samples of 8-10 children were collected and the median urinary iodine (MUI) was 250.7 μg/L;the thyroid glands of 200 children were inspected and the goiter rate with palpation was 3.0％ (6/200).Totally 3 600 salt samples were collected after the adjustment,88.5％ (3 186/3 600) of salt iodine concentration was in 18-33 mg/kg;totally 1 122 urine samples of 8-10 children were collected and the MUI was 140.4 μg/L;the thyroid glands of 1 336 children were inspected,the goiter rate with palpation was 1.0％ (13/1 336).Conclusions After implementation of the new standard,children's iodine nutrition has down to appropriate levels.So the salt iodine concentration after adjustment may be safer and the salt iodization prevention strategies should be carried out for a long time in Rizhao City.