Some disabling conditions in South Asia, such as lathyrism, iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), cataract, poliomyelitis, epilepsy and leprosy, have mechanisms and impairment effects that differ substantially. Yet they share socio-cultural features that have promoted their strong resilience in face of efforts to eliminate them as public health problems. For each condition a 'magic bullet' or much...

BACKGROUND In many low-income countries, children are at high risk of iodine deficiency disorders, including brain damage. In the early 1990s, Tanzania, a country that previously suffered from moderate to severe iodine deficiency, adopted universal salt iodation (USI) as an intervention strategy, but its impact remained unknown. METHODS We report on the first national survey in mainland Tanza...

background: goiter is thyroid enlargement, which is the most common visible symptom of iodine deficiency. some studies have shown iodine deficiency in water, soil, and food in many places worldwide. we aimed to determine the prevalence of goiter and the association between urine iodine levels in children with severity and prevalence of goiter in mountainous villages of kashan city (center of ir...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In 2000, legislation on mandatory universal salt iodisation was enacted in Sabah, Malaysia, to reduce the incidence of iodine deficiency disorders among its population. To evaluate the iodine levels among pregnant women from selected rural divisions in Sabah 13 years after the enactment of the universal salt iodisation programme. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN This cross-s...

  In this cross-sectional study, 932 school boys and 927 school girls,6-10 years old of Khorramabad, Lorestan were selected randomly by proportionate multi-stage cluster sampling method. All students underwent clinical examination for presence of Goiter with the method and criteria recommended by world health organization ( WHO). Age specific prevalence rates of Goiter in boys 6 through 10 yea...

This chapter provides an overview of the disorders caused by iodine deficiency. Extensively referenced, it includes data on dietary sources of iodine, goitrogens, the effects of iodine deficiency throughout the lifecycle, the pathophysiology of iodine deficiency, as well as strategies for control and monitoring of the iodine deficiency disorders, such as iodized salt and iodized oil. It emphasi...

Iodine deficiency is rare in the United States today, and this is largely due to the effectiveness of iodization in the general food supply. Recent trends among specific populations of children in the United States include adopting food restrictions, such casein-free and gluten-free diets. Although the effect of these types of diets on overall nutrition status and certain micronutrients has bee...

BACKGROUND Universal salt iodation will prevent iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Globally, salt-iodation technologies mostly target large and medium-scale salt-producers. Since most producers in low-income countries are small-scale, we examined and improved the performance of hand and knapsack-sprayers used locally in Tanzania. METHODS We studied three salt facilities on the Bagamoyo coast,...

BACKGROUND Low-iodine intake has historically been an issue in China, causing widespread iodine deficiency diseases (IDD). China started to introduce universal salt iodization in 1995, but reports of increased thyroid disease are a concern and appropriate levels of iodine intake must be considered. OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of thyroid disease with different urinary iodine concentrati...