We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
To evaluate the iodine nutritional status of children living on the island of Tanna, Republic of Vanuatu.
Cross-sectional study. Urine and household salt samples were collected for iodine measurement. Thyroid volumes were measured by ultrasound. A food consumption frequency survey was carried out, particularly in relation to salt, iodine-rich foods and foods that containing thiocyanate, a potentially goitrogenic substance. Urinary thiocyanate levels were also measured.
Island rural communities in Tanna, Vanuatu.
One hundred and fifty-three schoolchildren between 8 and 10 years of age from four locations on the island participated.
The median urinary iodine excretion (UIE) among the children was 49mg/l, indicating moderate iodine deficiency. This was corroborated by 27% of boys and 33% of girls having thyroid glands greater than the international standard for their age, and 36% of boys and 45% of girls having thyroid glands greater than the international standard for their body surface area based on ultrasonography. There was a highly statistically significant inverse correlation between thyroid volume and UIE for boys and girls (r = −0·444, P = 0·001 and r = −0·319, P = 0·005, respectively). There was no correlation between thiocyanate and UIE or thyroid volume. Only 34% of children reported to consume fish (tinned or fresh) on a weekly basis.
Against the common perception, the study has demonstrated that the children on the island of Tanna were in a state of moderate iodine deficiency. More data need to be collected from other Pacific Island countries in order to provide evidence for formulating public policy in prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders in these nations.
To send this article to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about sending to your Kindle. Find out more about sending to your Kindle.
Note you can select to send to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be sent to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To send this article to your Dropbox account, please select one or more formats and confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your <service> account. Find out more about sending content to Dropbox.
To send this article to your Google Drive account, please select one or more formats and confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your <service> account. Find out more about sending content to Google Drive.
Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this journal to your organisation's collection.
* Views captured on Cambridge Core between September 2016 - 12th June 2018. This data will be updated every 24 hours.
