Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
42. The Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency and Goiter after Three Years of Salt
Iodization in Tafilah Governorate (2000)
Latifah AL-Sarayreh\ University of Jordan
Supervised by: Dr. Hamed R. Takruri
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Mjali Ahmad
Disorders of iodine deficiency are considered as a major world-wide problem.
The prevalence of goiter in school children aged 8-10 years old in Jordan in 1993
ranged between 10.9% in Mafraq to 76.1% in Tafilah Governorate. Therefore, salt
iodization program was introduced to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders in the
country. The aims of this study were, to identify the prevalence of goiter and to
determine the urinary iodine excretion in school children aged 8-10 years in Tafilah
Governorate after five years of salt iodization.
The size of the Thyroid gland was assessed and classified in 260 school children
using the palpation method as recommended by WHO. Urinary iodine excretion levels
were determined in seventy-four of them.
Furthermore, iodine concentrations were determined in seven different brands of
iodized table salt marketed in Tafilah Governorate.
Heights and Weights of the group sample ranged between the 5th and 95th
centile, but the mean height and weight for males were at the 30th and 35th centile
respectively. For females, the mean height and weight were at the 45th and 35th
centile respectively.
The prevalence rate of goiter was 45% as compared to 76.1 % in 1993. Children
of 10 years age had the highest prevalence of grade la goiter (10.4%) whereas children
aged 8 years had the lowest prevalence (6.2%). In addition, the prevalence was more
common in females (57.7%) than that in males (29.7%) with a ratio of 1.9: 1).
The median urinary iodine excretion level in this study was found to be increased
(12.7 g/dl), as compared to the (1.6 g/dl) that reported in 1993. Iodine deficiency was
present in 24.6% of these children; 15% had moderate iodine deficiency while 9.6%
had mild iodine deficiency. Severe iodine deficiency was not found in this study
sample. There was a significant negative correlation between the grades of goiter and
urinary iodine excretion levels. All subjects with low urinary iodine excretion had
different grades of goiter, while 19% had goiter with normal urinary iodine excretion
level.
Iodine content of the seven brands of salt consumed in Tafilah Governorate
ranged from 8.5 to 61.4 PPM, in four brands of them had levels, which were below the
Jordanian Standard.
It is concluded that iodine status in school children in Tafilah Governorate has
improved and the rate of goiter is decreasing indicating the efficacy of salt iodization
program, introduced by Ministry of Health and applied in Jordan.
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Volume 11, No. 25, 2011
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