Addressing Widespread Iodine Deficiency Disorders: A Serious Health Problem in Thailand and Beyond

Abstract

Iodine is the heaviest of all elements essential for human health. Iodine is a constituent of the thyroid hormone that acts on many body systems, and thus, iodine’s effects are quite broad. In discussing iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs), one should rank mental defects and physical impairments ahead of goiter, which is a mere physical disfigurement. Consuming iodide- or iodate-supplemented salt has been the most widely implemented public health measure for people at risk of iodine deficiency. However, millions of people on several continents still suffer today from insufficient iodine intake. Inadequate government enforcement and limited access to supplemented salt are partly responsible for the persistence of this disease. Traditional beliefs and food habits are also contributing factors toward difficulties in lowering the incidence and severity of IDDs. In the multistep process needed for making dry salt, most iodide in seawater is converted to iodine, which sublimates, thus drastically reducing the iodine content. Regular consumption of iodized table salt is a necessity for people, especially those at risk of developing IDDs.