Memories of the future

Abstract

With bated breath we follow the fate of the long-suffering law On the prevention of diseases caused by iodine deficiency. What can be expected in terms of improving public health after the adoption and successful implementation of this bill, which provides for the enrichment with iodine of edible salt of extra, higher and first varieties, grinding No. 0 and No. 1? In addition, in the production of bakery products, the recipe of which contains edible salt, the use of iodized salt will become mandatory. According to the experience of many near and far countries, within 23 years from the start of the program of mandatory salt iodization, one can expect a significant (at times) reduction in the incidence of endemic goiter. This trend will not exhaust itself in subsequent years. In the medium term (after about 10 years), a decrease (by half or more) in the incidence of thyrotoxicosis can also be expected in Russia. However, in the short term (57 years), a transient increase in the incidence of thyrotoxicosis in people over 60 years of age is possible, which can be considered a kind of payment for the previous iodine deficiency. The trend towards an increase in the incidence of subclinical and, possibly, manifest hypothyroidism may continue, but this will not be a consequence of an increase in iodine supply. Optimization of iodine intake against the background of mandatory salt iodization should reduce the frequency of transient disorders of thyroid function in newborns and, possibly, congenital hypothyroidism.