Nutritional status of school children in an endemic area of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) after one year of iodine supplementation.

Abstract

To improve the health and nutritional status of school children in an area of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) by means of different iodine fortifications in salt, fish sauce and drinking water, anthropometric assessment for nutritional measurement, including hematological status, were performed. There was a significant difference in the weight and height of the children from the four schools investigated, before and after supplementation in each school. The prevalence of anemia (as indicated by hematological measurement) and iodine deficiency (as indicated by urinary iodine concentration in the children from the four schools) were assessed and compared before and after iodine supplementation; a decrease in prevalence was found in all school children, however, serum ferritin did not change before and after supplementation.