A survey on iodine nutrition status of children aged 8 - 10 and pregnant women in Chongqing in 2018 / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To learn about the iodine nutrition status of children aged 8 - 10 and pregnant women in Chongqing.Methods:From March to November 2018, according to the requirements of the "Technical Plan for Iodine Deficiency Disorders Monitoring in Chongqing in 2018", in all 39 counties (districts) of the city, each county (district) was divided into 5 sampling areas according to the orientation of east, west, south, north and middle. One township/street was selected from each area, one primary school was selected from each township/street, and 40 non-boarding students aged 8 - 10 (age balanced, half male and half female) were selected from each primary school. At the same time, 20 pregnant women (balanced in early, middle and late pregnancy) were selected from each township/street. Household edible salt and random urine samples from children and pregnant women were collected to detect the contents of salt iodine and urinary iodine. Children from 13 counties (districts) were selected for thyroid examination, and the goiter rate of children was calculated.Results:Totally 7 973 and 3 927 household edible salt samples from children and pregnant women were tested, respectively. The median salt iodine was 26.20 mg/kg, the coverage rates of iodized salt were 99.07% (7 899/7 973) and 99.57% (3 910/3 927), the consumption rates of qualified iodized salt were 93.72% (7 472/7 973) and 95.03% (3 732/3 927), respectively. Totally 7 973 and 3 927 urine samples from children and pregnant women were tested, respectively. The medians urinary iodine were 228.60 and 186.30 μg/L, respectively. Among the 39 monitored counties (districts), there were no county (district) with iodine deficiency in children, and 4 counties (districts) had iodine deficiency in pregnant women. A total of 2 656 children were examined, and the goiter rate was 1.73% (46/2 656).Conclusions:In 2018, children aged 8 - 10 in Chongqing are generally at the appropriate level of iodine, and the goiter rate conforms to the national standard (< 5%). Pregnant women are generally at the appropriate level of iodine, however, pregnant women in some counties (districts) are at risk of iodine deficiency.