UAE | Health
Health Ministry move to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders
The study showed a remarkable improvement in the basic indicators of iodine deficiency since 1994 where the rate of thyroid gland inflation decreased from 40.4 per cent to 8.2 per cent in 2009.
- By Samir Salama, Associate Editor
- Published: 18:49 March 1, 2010
Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Health presses ahead to promote optimal iodine nutrition and the elimination of iodine deficiency disorders - the world's most prevalent yet easily preventable cause of brain damage, a top official said on Monday.
"The Ministry of Health, which aims at declaring the country free of iodine deficiency which depresses IQ by 10 to 15 points, conducted a national study on this disorder in cooperation with the World Health Organisation "WHO", Dr Hanif Hassan, Minister of Health, told a press conference.
He added the study showed a remarkable improvement in the basic indicators of iodine deficiency since 1994 where the rate of thyroid gland inflation decreased from 40.4 per cent to 8.2 per cent in 2009.
The rate of iodized salt utilization increased from 6 per cent in 1994 to 94.1 per cent in 2009, showing a steadily increase of iodine urine concentration of more than 40 per cent.
Samples of urine from 1,140 primary school students and salt consumed in homes were collected to measure the concentration level of iodine in urine and adequacy of iodized salt. The study also examined the levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices in national samples of school children.
Results of the study will be used as the basis for future planning, monitoring equitable distribution for iodine consumption according to the indicators of the World Health Organization "WHO", "UNICEF" and International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), said Dr Mahmood Fikri, Executive Director for Health Policies at the Ministry of Health.
Dr Fikri added Iodine is one of the basic nutritional elements necessary for various physiological functions within the human body, and is essential to growth. Iodine is an essential part of the chemical structure of thyroid hormones which are necessary for growth and function of the brain, nervous system and to maintain a steady body temperature and vitality.
Pointing out that an estimated daily iodine requirement for an adult is 150 microgrammes according to the WHO specifications, Dr Fikri advised residents to ensure that the salt they consume contained the required amounts of iodine.
"Being the organ where iodine is highly concentrated, the thyroid gland becomes visibly enlarged when there is a deficiency of this nutritional element."
Dr Fikri said significant progress has been made during the last period as the study showed that 94 pwr cent of the families use iodized salt and the average concentration of iodine in urine was about 21 per cent lower than the recommended international standards i.e. "100-199 micrograms".
Around 41.7 per cent only have an average concentration of iodine in urine. Despite that high proportion of families using iodized salt yet the salt does not contain the recommended international percentrage i.e 15-40 mg/kg salt.
According to the ICCIDD, iodine deficiency is the single most common cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage in the world. It also decreases child survival, causes goiters, and impairs growth and development. Iodine deficiency in pregnant women causes miscarriages, stillbirths, and other complications. Children with iodine deficiency disorders can grow up stunted, apathetic, mentally retarded, and incapable of normal movements, speech, or hearing.
About 1.6 billion people live in the poor areas of 110 countries all over the world with the element of iodine and nearly 650 million people face complications due to iodine deficiency while 6 million suffer from the disease which causes mental retardation.
A large number of women were affected by iodine deficiency in the reproductive period and therefore their children are highly vulnerable to the complications of iodine deficiency.
The World Health organisation demands that the member states eliminate the iodine deficiency, raise their periodical report to the organization, monitor the status of iodine nutrition every two years and inform it with the progress.
A national survey will follow to examine commercial outlets in the UAE and speed up the development and application of iodine usage in the markets in keeping with internationals standards, according to Dr Fikri.
He added the coming period will also see the creation of a central database for the ministry, introduction of a sustainable surveillance and control system, ongoing training to national human resources who will be able to enter their databases and information about iodine deficiency in schools' curriculum as well as the involvement of schools and students in the community awareness.
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