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Current status
of salt iodization and level of iodine nutrient in India
Umesh Kapil
Department of Public, Oman Medical College, Sohar, Sultanate
of Oman, India.
E- mail: umeshkapil@yahoo.com.
Accepted 13 March, 2008
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In India, Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) are
present throughout the country. Out of 282 districts
surveyed by Government of India institutions like Indian
Council of Medical Research and Central Goitre Survey Teams
in different States and Union Territories, 241 have been
found to be endemic for iodine deficiency disorders. Issues
relating to the safety of Universal Salt Iodization were
carefully examined by eminent Scientists, Programme Managers
and Administrators and based on hard scientific evidences,
the Government of India implemented a policy decision, in
1984, for Universal Salt Iodization (USI ) that is, all
edible salt in the country should be fortified with iodine.
This became the mandate for the National Iodine Deficiency
Disorders Control Programme. The present research
communication reviews the history of iodine deficiency
disorders, progress of achieved under USI, safety of iodized
salt and impact of this intervention on the iodine status of
Indian population.
Key words:
Iodine, goitre, urinary iodine excretion |
