Body iodine status in school children and availability of iodised salt in Calcutta.

This paper presents a monitoring study on the availability of iodized salt at retailers outlets and at the household level in Calcutta as well as the impact of its consumption among school children aged 8-12 years. The children were physically examined for 3 grades of goiter. Urine samples were collected to estimate iodine excretion. Various types of salts were gathered from retailers outlets located within a 0.5 km radius of the school that the children attended. Spot test kit and iodimetric titration methods were used in monitoring the availability of iodized salt. Results showed that all packed salts were iodized and that a majority of them (98.1% at the household level and 93.6% at the retailers outlet level) had iodine levels of 15 ppm or higher. Only a small percentage of salts (0.5% at the household level and 1.0% at the retailers outlet level) had no iodine content. As to the urinary iodine content among school children 22.95% of males and 31.81% of females had urinary iodine level less than 50 mcg/l. 77% of male children and 69% of female children had satisfactory urinary iodine levels (>50 mcg/l). The results confirmed the success of the Universal Salt Iodization (USI) program with regard to the availability of iodized salt.