CABI Blog


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IN my March
2013 blog “Eat
less salt but make sure it contains iodine
!”, I described the  problems of addressing iodine–deficiency
diseases
in Pakistan and  the worrying
rise in iodine deficiency in the UK, 
linked to a shift  in eating patterns
away from dairy and oily fish, our traditional sources of iodine.   Whereas, other developed countries had relied
on introducing a national supply of iodised salt, we had got away without it.
But even countries using iodised salt, now had to watch out, as salt–reduction  campaigns to tackle rising cardiovascular
diseases, were allowing iodine-deficiency to reoccur albeit at a low-level (as
compared to the high level of iodine deficiency found in developing countries)

NOW there is further support for re-emerging iodine deficiency
in the UK:  this time a study on pregnant
women
published in the Lancet. They have identified changes in the IQ of primary-school
children born to mothers with low-level iodine deficiency:  IQ goes down 3 points & reading age is
reduced.   For more information, read the BBC article Iodine deficiency 'may lower
UK children's IQ
and the Lancet
study
.

Need I say more? In the March blog, which featured
on Global Health Knowledge Base
and CABI-Handpicked & carefully
sorted
, I covered the spectrum of iodine-deficiency diseases which can
occur in children born to mothers with iodine-poor diets,  leaving the children with permanent physical
& mental intelligence problems. 
Daily it seems, the case is being made to consider introducing iodised
salt into the UK  and to advise would-be
pregnant mothers not only to ensure folic acid is in their diet but also
adequate iodine ( BUT not  through
seaweed supplements). Pregnant mothers who rely on organic milk should be aware that this contains less iodine than usual and they will need to increase iodine intake to compensate.

WE do indeed “have a new challenge to addressing
iodine deficiency in both developing and developed countries”.

Related articles

Iodine Deficiency during Pregnancy Linked with Lower IQ in Children
VIDEO: Iodine deficiency 'may lower IQs'
Iodine deficiency 'may lower children's IQ'
Iodine levels in mothers linked to children's IQ scores
Iodine deficiency 'may lower IQs'
Mothers' diets may harm IQs in two-thirds of babies
Women who drink organic milk in pregnancy could be harming their baby's IQ
Pregnant women should up iodine intake to increase child's IQ

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