Open AccessIodine status in pre‐school children prior to mandatory iodine fortification in Australia
Author(s) -
Skeaff Sheila,
Zhao Ying,
Gibson Robert,
Makrides Maria,
Zhou Shao Jia
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
maternal and child nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1740-8709
pISSN - 1740-8695
DOI - 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00419.x
Subject(s) - medicine , iodine , iodised salt , iodine deficiency , fortification , environmental health , population , pediatrics , urine , thyroglobulin , cross sectional study , thyroid , endocrinology , food science , chemistry , materials science , pathology , metallurgy
The iodine status of children between the ages of 5 and 15 years has been routinely assessed in many countries, but few studies have examined iodine status in pre‐school children. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of pre‐school children living in Adelaide, South Australia, between 2005 and 2007. Children 1–5 years old were identified using a unique sampling strategy to ensure that the study population was representative. A 3‐day weighed diet record, a blood sample and a urine sample were obtained from each child. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of the children ( n = 279) was 129 µ g L −1 , indicating iodine sufficiency (normal range: 100–199 µ g L −1 ), but 35% of the children had a UIC < 100 µ g L −1 . The median thyroglobulin concentration of children ( n = 217) was 24 µ g L −1 and thyroglobulin concentration declined with increasing age ( P = 0.024). The mean daily iodine intake was 76 µ g. The intake of iodine was lower than expected and highlights difficulties in accurately assessing iodine intakes. Further studies are needed to monitor dietary changes and iodine status in this age group since the implementation of mandatory fortification of bread with iodised salt in Australia in 2009.