The Hindu : National : Iodine consumption has dropped, says survey

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Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

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National

Iodine consumption has dropped, says survey

Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Centre's decision to reinstate the ban on non-iodised common salt was prompted by a study carried out by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences.

It revealed a drop in iodine consumption from 49 per cent in 1998-99 to 37 per cent in 2002-03, with people across all States and the Union Territories suffering from Iodine Deficiency Diseases (IDD).

In 2002, the Reproductive Child Health (RCH) survey showed a drop in the use of iodised salt at the household level in north India from the 91-53 per cent range to the 87-24 per cent range.

In Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, consumption fell to 5 per cent as against 49 per cent in 1998-99.

Of the 26 million newborns, 13 million were unprotected from the IDD owing to lack of iodine, which often leads to brain damage and poor brain development.

The IDD includes goitre, cretinism, speech and hearing defects and psychomotor defects of 13 IQ points and is often a leading cause of mental handicap.

Lack of iodine is a soil deficiency and iodisation of salt is the cheapest method of providing this essential micronutrient. As many as 92 countries have banned the sale of non-iodised salt.

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