Schoolchildren in the Principality of Liechtenstein are mildly iodine deficient.
- Hilty FM Human Nutrition Laboratory, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, LFV D18.3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland. florentine.hilty@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
- Zimmermann MB
- 2011-01-06
Published in:
- Public health nutrition. - 2011
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Goiter
Humans
Iodine
Liechtenstein
Male
Public Health
Schools
Sodium Chloride, Dietary
English
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the iodine status of schoolchildren in the Principality of Liechtenstein.
DESIGN
A representative, cross-sectional principality-wide screening of iodine level in household salt and urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) in primary-school children. Data were compared with the WHO criteria and with 2009 iodine survey data from Switzerland, a neighbouring country that supplies most of the salt used in Liechtenstein.
SETTINGS
Principality of Liechtenstein.
SUBJECTS
Schoolchildren (n 228) aged 6-12 years from five different primary schools representing 11·4 % of the children at this age.
RESULTS
The median UIC was 96 (range: 10-446) μg/l; 11 %, 56 % and 1 % of children had a UIC <50, <100 and >300 μg/l, respectively. In all, 79 % of households were using adequately iodised salt (≥15 ppm). The median UIC was 20 % lower than that in children at comparable age in Switzerland (120 μg/l; P < 0·05).
CONCLUSIONS
According to the WHO criteria, schoolchildren in Liechtenstein are mildly iodine deficient and household iodised salt coverage is inadequate. Public health measures to increase iodine intakes in the Principality should be considered.
To investigate the iodine status of schoolchildren in the Principality of Liechtenstein.
DESIGN
A representative, cross-sectional principality-wide screening of iodine level in household salt and urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) in primary-school children. Data were compared with the WHO criteria and with 2009 iodine survey data from Switzerland, a neighbouring country that supplies most of the salt used in Liechtenstein.
SETTINGS
Principality of Liechtenstein.
SUBJECTS
Schoolchildren (n 228) aged 6-12 years from five different primary schools representing 11·4 % of the children at this age.
RESULTS
The median UIC was 96 (range: 10-446) μg/l; 11 %, 56 % and 1 % of children had a UIC <50, <100 and >300 μg/l, respectively. In all, 79 % of households were using adequately iodised salt (≥15 ppm). The median UIC was 20 % lower than that in children at comparable age in Switzerland (120 μg/l; P < 0·05).
CONCLUSIONS
According to the WHO criteria, schoolchildren in Liechtenstein are mildly iodine deficient and household iodised salt coverage is inadequate. Public health measures to increase iodine intakes in the Principality should be considered.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- bronze
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1017/S1368980010003393
- PMID 21205406
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/265471
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