Dr. B.S.R Mahapatra
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n October 21, every year the global iodine deficiency disorder prevention day is observed throughout the world, particularly in the developing countries like India and under-developed countries. As per the Ministry of health and family welfare, of Government of India, more than two hundred millions of people in India are prone to the risk of Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD), and more than seventy million people suffer from Iodine deficiency disorder. Not a single State or Union Territory of India is free from IDD.Well, IDD causes impaired physical growth, impaired mental development, loss of 10-15 I.Q points and low school performance occur, as per the information given is correct no doubt, but much more attention is necessary for maintenance of human life which to great extent depends upon proper iodine content in the body.
Iodine is a micro nutrient badly necessary for human body. It is a halogen element and gives rise to violent colored vapour and is volatile in nature, having atomic number 53. The deficiency of iodine causes Goiter, characterized by swelling of the thyroid glands in the neck. The daily requirement of iodine is about 100-150 mg. Most of the food stuffs are devoid of iodine. Marine fish and shell fish are extremely good sources of iodine: fresh water fishes are poor source. In most dietary patterns, marine (salt water) fish do not figure permanently and the common sources of iodine are milk and meat and cereals. Some green leaves, especially spinach are good iodine sources.
The best sources of iodine are seaweeds. The Russian scientists have already made use of seaweeds, collecting in good quantity as manure and have treated them in fields. As a result, the food grains and vegetables grown from such type of fields contain more iodine in them. Apart from this the iodine required by the body is mainly obtained by drinking water.
As the water flows down from the hilly regions to plains and ultimately ends up in lakes or seas, they bring down iodine with them. That is why the hilly people get less iodine in the water they drink, and suffer iodine deficiency. As a result, iodine deficiency disorder is very common in hilly areas. That is why we need to add iodine to one of our food stuffs to meet the daily requirement of iodine.
Salt is universally used for consumption irrespective of region, population, area etc. So adage of dine in required quantity fulfills the iodine deficiency (that is why countries like India have fortified the common salt with iodine and nowadays iodised salt is a must for the whole population).
Four methods have been used to increase the iodine intake of population having iodine deficiency a) Addition of iodide or ioded to salt, b) addition of iodized or iodide to bread c) us of tablets containing potassium or sodium iodide and d) administration of iodized oil. Twenty three countries including India have made legislation of compulsory use of IODISED salt. The average fortification ratio of iodine with salt ranges from 1:25000 to 1:50000. In India 1:25000 or 25 part per million (ppm) is taken as the normal fortification of salt. Iodized bread is used in parts of Netherland, Australia (Canberra and whole of Tasmania) and West Indies. Iodize tablets are used as prophylactic trial in the USA and Tasmania. Due to acute shortage of iodine, under developed countries like New Guinea use iodized oil which is very expensive. Compulsory use of iodized salt was legalized in Nagaland in 1963.
Although iodine is a micro nutrient, it is very essential for growth of human body- for proper maintenance of brain, stages of physical growth including attainment of puberty in time, to prevent retarded growth, cretinism, appearance of secondary sexual characteristic in time, fertility and secretion of adequate breast milk etc. The I.Q goes down due to iodine deficiency.
Although iodized salt is being used almost by all the people of Nagaland, improper storage and other adverse condition bring down the specified and required content of iodine in the salt used for consumption.
It is a fact most of the rural Nagas preserve or store the iodized salt above the fireplace, and as iodine is volatile, most of the iodine content is considerably lost. As earlier mentioned, Non-Iodised salt was prohibited for consumption in 1963 in Nagaland. At that time, Nagaland was treated as an endemic goitrous zone (30% or more population). The things have changed a lot but so far, a very accurate survey is not done to assess the exact picture of iodine deficiency in Nagaland.
Definitely the endemicity has come to an end. This is a silver lining no doubt, still much more is to be achieved to make Nagaland free from iodine deficiency. Last but not the least, the public awareness not only by Health and family welfare department, but other NGO’s and philanthropic organization bring about an end to iodine deficiency in Nagaland.
