A survey on iodine nutrition in 5 groups of target population in China

Objective To investigate the iodine nutritional status of the target populations in China under the current level of iodine in salt of 35±15(20~50)mg/kg.Methods Spot checking was used for this survey, and 5 groups of target population including school children, child beard aged women, pregnant and lactating women and infants were investigated from urban and rural areas of 11 provinces.Results ①The median level of iodine in salt at household was 31.0 mg/kg, and the iodine in drinking water was less than 10 μg/L or even less than 5 μg/L;②The median levels of urine iodine in all groups of target population were more than 100 μg/L, but significant differences were found among 5 group people. The urine iodine in pregnant and lactating women was lowest than others. The milk iodine from lactating women, however, was averagely 145.7 μg/L in the normal range.Conclusions The results demonstrated that current iodine nutritional status was basically adequate and satisfied in all groups of target people, and the iodine level in salt appeared suitable to meet the iodine needs for almost people in China now. But the lower level of urine iodine in pregnant and lactating women reminded us that whether iodine deficiency was not well corrected in these two groups of special people.