Iodized salt of life

1998/12/01 Torregarai, Idoia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

Diseases caused by lack of iodine have become a major global problem and are a major international food challenge. Currently, about 1.5 billion people are in danger from lack of iodine, most of them in Asia, Africa and South America. However, in addition to the Third World, the lack of iodine generates great problems in more developed countries such as Spain, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Eastern European countries.

The need for iodine varies depending on age. For normal development and growth, humans need iodine between 50 mg daily (for newborn children) and 200 mg (for pregnant and nursing women). Iodine is the staple of the hormones produced by the thyroid glands. This gland controls various functions of our body, such as the growth and development of metabolism. Therefore, having less iodine than enough can cause imbalances in our health.

Several studies have concluded that in countries with a level of iodine lower than necessary, babies suffer six times more than children in countries that do not have this lack of iodine, moderation of thyroid function. This data is very worrying if we consider that this time is very important for the development of the child's brain. In addition to newborn babies, hypothyroidism (slowing of the thyroid) may also be in children, youth, and adults. Consequently, lack of iodine can cause a general decrease in mental function and a decrease in physical development in children and young people, among others. However, lack of iodine is the most serious cause in children. In addition to increasing the risk of loss of the child, it can cause a series of birth defects (intellectual disability, deafness, strabismus, dwarfism…).

In addition to all these diseases, a lower iodine level may cause goiter. Goiter is a tumor of the thyroid gland that causes inflammation of the anterior neck. As age progresses, inflammation increases in moderation and can cause aesthetic and other problems. In some cases, it can cause treads on the trachea and breathing problems. The goiter does not endanger life, but along with other things that generate lack of iodine, the economic burden that affects society is very large. As an example, in 1987, this iodine shortage in the Federal Republic of Germany caused a social expenditure of 500 million dollars.

Iodized salt solution

Although some of the consequences of lack of iodine do not turn back, in most cases it is easy and quick to balance the level of this component. The best way to take iodine correctly and naturally is to eat fish and seafood, although an important part of iodine (between 20% and 58%) is lost in food preparation. Through them, our body would get the iodine it needs, but it would not make sure that the whole society had enough iodine. Therefore, health professionals recommend the iodisation of salt, water and/or oil, since this method is simple and very effective and economical.

Undoubtedly, the most effective method of these three is to use iodized salt. This salt is the result of adding the iodine that loses the common salt during the drying process. Also, since almost all people consume salt, society as a whole is the best way to consume daily the amount of iodine we need. This method is especially effective in developed countries, as they can produce iodized salt and distribute it also through the trade circuit. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends universal salt iodisation.

Some European countries and the United States have done this for some time, and today the diseases that iodine generates have practically disappeared. In the 1920s, the U.S. and Switzerland were the first countries to launch the iodized salt campaign, which allowed for balancing the low iodine level.

With some exceptions, iodized salt should be used throughout society to cook and use as table salt. This recommendation is almost mandatory for pregnant and nursing women to ensure the normal development of the central nervous system of the baby and the newborn. At the Childhood Summit, the United Nations saw the need to protect these social groups in particular and decided to take the following steps:

• Every child has the right to eat the right amount of iodine.
• Every mother must have an adequate iodine diet to protect the good mental development of her sons and daughters.

However, for those who are prohibited from taking salt, it is recommended to take shellfish and iodine substitutes. People with nodular goiter and Graves-Basedow disease (higher than due iodine level) should not take iodized salt. To all others yes.

Notable lack of iodine in the CAPV

According to the study conducted between 1988 and 1992, 75% of the population of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country had a lower iodine level than due. This research involved 4,336 children aged 6 to 14 who, like all studies on iodine level, were also based on urine iodine and goiter disease. The fact that children are the subject of primary study in this type of research is due to the fact that, firstly, the most evident iodine deficiency is detected in children, secondly, they have a high degree of participation and ultimately offer a good sample of the space in which the research is conducted.

Its results, as mentioned above, showed that throughout the territory there was an endemic goiter and a clear lack of iodine, although this imbalance was mild. The average level of goiter in the whole territory was 21.2%, with a minimum of 9% in the lower Donostia-Bidasoa and 36.7% in the west of the interior of Bizkaia. On the other hand, the mean level of iodation was 73.6±42.4 mg/l, from 69.7±35.3 mg/l in Vitoria-Gasteiz to 79.8±47.6 mg/l in Greater Bilbao. Considering all this, it was concluded that the average consumption of iodized salt in the CAPV is 25%.

However, the lack of “mild” iodine does not mean that it has little importance, but, on the contrary, it was in 1996 when the 49 of Health was celebrated. Diseases and discomfort caused by the lack of iodine in the World Assembly “serious problem for public health” and “2000. By 2004 he considered them “to be eliminated from all countries”.

In view of the results of the study, it was considered that ACBC should encourage fish consumption and especially the use of iodized salt. To do this, the Directorate of Public Health of the Department of Health of the Basque Government has designed a Program for the Control and Prevention of Diseases and Inconvenience for Iodine Deficiency. This advertising campaign, under the slogan “Iodized salt for health”, aims that between 2000 and 2002 the levels of iodine in the three provinces are 100% by iodized salt.

The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness of this problem to society, so this program plans to bring to light the conclusions of the research. This information will explain the discomfort caused by lack of iodine and how to prevent them easily. In short, we want to convey to society that changing normal salt for iodized salt is much more beneficial for health.

To carry out the advertising campaign they have spoken with companies, shops and consumer associations responsible for the distribution of food and have already presented 14 hypermarkets, 332 supermarkets and 517 stores of the CAPV. In all these places, in addition to selling iodized salt, they can give us more accurate data on the subject. In addition to this advertising, posters, triptychs, banners, etc. are already available in these shops and in hospitals and health centers of Pharmacy, Town Hall and Osakidetza.

However, the Department of Health considers that it is necessary to deepen this information more and stresses that this work is largely in the hands of health professionals. Many professionals in this field have a direct relationship with the public, which allows them to have a greater impact on this issue. Therefore, it is essential that these professionals know well the details of this program. In this sense, the Department of Health has prepared the report “Iodoprophylaxis in the CAPV”, which will be distributed to professionals working in the areas of Primary Care, Gynecology, Obstetrics (Family Planning), Endocrinology, Nutrition, Nuclear Medicine, etc., for analysis, in pharmacies and other areas of society.

The dangers of iodine deficiency in our diet decrease as soon as iodine salt is used. Its price is similar to that of the common salt (with a difference between both of less than five pesetas per kilo) and since our society can produce and distribute this salt, its effectiveness can be multiplied, since salt can reach all homes. However, it should be noted that the aim of this program is not to increase salt consumption, but to change the common salt we use now for iodized salt. In this simple way we will get the best prevention.