World Iodine Deficiency Day

Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day is observed every year on 21st October. The aim behind this day is to generate awareness of adequate use of iodine and to highlight the consequences of iodine deficiency. The iodine deficiency disorders have become a major public health problem worldwide. In today's scenario one third of the world population stands on the risk of iodine deficiency disorders. According to the WHO around 54 countries are still iodine-deficient.

Iodine is important for hormone development. It is found in dairy products, seafood, seaweed, eggs, bread, some vegetables and iodised salt. A lack of dietary iodine can cause an enlarged thyroid gland (goitre) or other iodine deficiency disorders, including mental retardation in children. Pregnant women need higher levels of iodine.

The thyroid is a gland in the throat that regulates many metabolic processes, such as growth and energy use. If you don’t have enough iodine in your diet, it can lead to an enlarged thyroid gland (goitre) or other iodine deficiency disorders such as impaired cognitive development in children, muscle stiffness, stunted physical and mental growth, still birth, dwarfism, vision defects and more. Our bodies need iodine for the development of essential thyroid hormones.

Iodine deficiency is the world’s leading cause of preventable intellectual disability or mental retardation in children. All women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering becoming pregnant should ask their gynaecologists for advice about their individual dietary needs.

How to take care of iodine deficiency?

Iodine is not produced in our body hence it is always recommended to include iodine rich foods in our diet. Table salt is one of the major sources of iodine in our body. Sea vegetables or seaweeds are said to be the major source of iodine. The content of iodine is high at the coastal areas and it is very less in the mountain or hilly region. So, the crops grown near the coastal areas, fish, shellfish, and other seafood are a rich source of iodine. Apart from this, breads, cheese, cow's milk, eggs, soy milk, yogurt, onions, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, etc., can also contribute to the iodine level.

Factors responsible for iodine deficiency

The deficiency of iodine can result in serious consequences. Following are some of the reasons behind the deficiency of iodine in our body:

·         Among the most common causes of iodine deficiency is the intake of iodine deficient food. Many people are careless about the type of food they intake. It is always recommended to take food rich in iodine like leafy vegetables, cheese, cow's milk, eggs, yogurt, sea food, etc.

·         Due to the high metabolic rate in pregnant women, lactating women and adolescent children, there is a deficiency of iodine which can result in serious disorders. So, it is important to maintain a proper intake of iodine during pregnancy and adolescent age.

·         Due to deforestation, soil erosion and bad farming techniques, the fertility of the soil is decreasing at a very high rate. Due to this, there is an increase in the deficiency of iodine in crops and vegetables. As these are the major source of iodine, they can be considered one of the causes of iodine deficiency.

·      The intake of toxic chemicals hampers the iodine level in the body. These toxins compete with the iodine reactive sites and decrease the ability of the body to absorb iodine. These toxic substances are the halides which consist of fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide. Among these four, only iodide is good for our body. So, because of their similar structure they get attach to the reactive site instead of iodine. Hence resulting in low amount of iodine.

Episodes of deficiency of iodine in a population are best treated by increasing intake of iodized food in the diet programs of people. Hence, it's more logical to prevent the occurrence of this deficiency rather than treatment. In the last 80 years, WHO has made herculean efforts to eliminate this deficiency in developing nations? Across the globe, iodized salt has been the main treatment method. While complete treatment of the deficiency may not be possible, still it can be controlled to some extent.