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Low levels of urinary iodine excretion in schoolchildren of rural areas in Cuba

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 52, pages 372–375 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: We set up a baseline data on urinary iodine excretion from a nationwide representative sample of rural schoolchildren before instituting iodine supplementation.

Design: Stratified multistage cluster sampling in three different strata: lowlands, foothills and mountainous areas. Early morning urine samples were collected for evaluation of iodine status.

Setting: Field study in 25 municipalities in 11 out of 14 provinces. The study was carried out from October to December 1995.

Subjects: Three thousand and twenty-seven schoolchildren of either sex, 6 to <12 y from 87 primary schools.

Results: The median urinary iodine excretion was 95 μg/L for the whole sample. The situation in a few foothills and all mountainous areas showed a moderate to severe deficiency. In the mountainous stratum, the median urinary iodine excretion values was less than 20 μg/L.

Conclusions: Cuba has a mild iodine deficiency public health problem with respect to WHO criteria, which in the mountainous areas is severe. The Government of Cuba has started a national Plan of Action and funds are being mobilized to introduce nationwide iodized salt.

Sponsorship: UNICEF-Cuba and The Cuban Ministry of Public Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Infanta 1158, Havana, CP 10500, Cuba

    A Rodríguez-Ojea & Y Abreu

  2. Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Infanta 1158, Havana, CP 10500, Cuba

    R Menéndez, L Vega & Z Díaz

  3. Food and Nutrition Surveillance System,

    B Terry

  4. Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Infanta 1158, Havana, CP 10500, Cuba

    B Terry

Authors
  1. A Rodríguez-Ojea
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  2. R Menéndez
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  3. B Terry
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  4. L Vega
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  5. Y Abreu
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  6. Z Díaz
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Correspondence to A Rodríguez-Ojea.

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Rodríguez-Ojea, A., Menéndez, R., Terry, B. et al. Low levels of urinary iodine excretion in schoolchildren of rural areas in Cuba. Eur J Clin Nutr 52, 372–375 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600562

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600562

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