A Study of Consumption of Iodized Salt among Households of District Lucknow, India

Abstract

Iodine deficiency is the world's single greatest cause of preventable mental retardation. Universal Salt Iodization is a safe, cost-effective and sustainable strategy to ensure sufficient intake of iodine by all individuals. In Uttar Pradesh only 42.5% households are using cooking salt which was iodized at the recommended level. The present study was conducted to asses the pattern of consumption of iodized salt and the awareness about health benefits of iodized salt among households in Lucknow. A cross sectional study was conducted in rural and urban Lucknow in 400 households selected using PPS technique and were interviewed using predesigned oral questionnaire and household salt was tested for Iodine content by kit. It was observed that 257(64.2%) households were using salt of iodine content of >15ppm, 135(31.8%) were using salt with inadequate iodine content and 8(4%) households were consuming salt with no iodine. On multivariate analysis high social class, literacy status, exposure to mass media was significantly associated with consumption of adequately iodized salt. 62% of the people surveyed knew iodine deficiency results in goiter, iodization of salt as an important attribute to the quality of salt was found only in 11.2% respondents. It is recommended better IEC is the need of the hour to improve consumption of appropriately iodized salt.