The results of a retrospective study of epidemiological surveys was conducted by National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Program and periodic surveys were conducted by the Centre of Preventive Health of An Giang in 1998, 2000 and 2003, showed that the coverage rate of households consumed salt with an iodine concentration of more than 20ppm was 29%, 52.9% and 76.5%, respectively. The median urinary iodine concentration was 1.8mlg/dl, 4.4mg/dl and 5.7mg/dl, respectively. The prevalence of goiter in children age 8-10 years was 20.5%, 12.8% and 6.1%, respectively. In 2003, there were still 71.5% of households situated in the iodine deficiency area in An Giang province. The main reasons make people have not used iodised salt are habit of using normal salt; iodised salt is not available and affordable. Although knowledge about the benefit of iodised salt for preventing endemic goiter is 89.4%, knowledge of using iodised salt for preventing creatinism is low (40%).
Iodine ; Iodine/deficiency ; Epidemiology

Iodine deficiency remains a global concern for developing countries and some industrialised countries. Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental retardation, posing a threat to the social and economic development of countries. Initiatives were developed and instituted to accelerate progress to achieve the goal of universal salt iodisation (USI). However, these efforts were not successful in eliminating iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in some countries. Every year, 50 million children are born without the protection that iodine offers to the growing brain and body and about 18 million suffer some significant degree of mental impairment. The World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and non-governmental organisations assist to ensure that populations at risk have access to iodised salt. This paper will review the highlights of iodine deficiency and present the experiences in the various countries in Asia, i.e. assessments of the situation, action plans, and obstacles to implementation.
Deficiency Diseases ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency

China ; epidemiology ; Deficiency Diseases ; epidemiology ; Health Status ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency

China ; Goiter, Endemic ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency

Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Goiter, Endemic ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Students

China ; epidemiology ; Deficiency Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary

OBJECTIVEThe relationship between selenium deficiency and the changes of synaptic structure in the CA3 area of hippocampus were studied in the third generation rats.

METHODSA selenium deficiency model was established by feeding rats with selenium-deficient food. The rats were divided into 4 groups: control (Se+I+), selenium deficiency (Se-I+), iodine deficiency (Se+I-), and both deficient group (Se-I-). The hippocampuses were dissected from the third generation rats on the 21st gestational day and the ultrastructural features of hippocampal synapses were observed with electron microscope. The length of active zone, synaptic curvatures, post-synaptic density (PSD) and synaptic cleft were quantitatively described.

RESULTSCompared with the control, the length of active zone and the thickness of PSD were significantly decreased in Se-I+, Se+I- and Se-I- groups [(261.7 +/- 50.1) nm, (286.7 +/- 41.6) nm and (220.8 +/- 61.6) nm contrast to (312.4 +/- 47.7) nm, P < 0.01], so were the synaptic curvatures in Se-I+, Se+I- and Se-I- groups [(22.9 +/- 6.3) nm, (27.5 +/- 8.6) nm and (25.2 +/- 6.5) nm contrast to (48.1 +/- 12.3) nm, P < 0.01]; the width of synaptic cleft were also decreased significantly in Se-I- [(11.1 +/- 3.3) nm contrast to (16.1 +/- 4.0) nm, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONSelenium deficiency might cause changes of neuronal functions at the synaptic level, and furthermore, affect learning and memory.

Animals ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Selenium ; deficiency ; Synapses ; pathology ; ultrastructure

Deficiency Diseases ; prevention & control ; Goiter ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Iodine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; deficiency

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of selenium and/or iodine deficiency on chondrocyte apoptosis in articular cartilage in rats.

METHODSForty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into selenium deficiency group, iodine deficiency group, combined selenium and iodine deficiency group, and control group. Chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method, and Bcl-2 and Bax in articular cartilage were stained by immunohistochemistry in F3 generation of rats.

RESULTSIn articular cartilage, the positive rate of apoptotic chondrocytes stained by TUNEL in the upper and middle zones in selenium deficiency group, iodine deficiency group, and combined selenium and iodine deficiency group (all P < 0.05) were significantly higher than that in control group. The apoptotic chondrocytes were prominent in the middle zone. The positive percentage of chondrocytes apoptosis was not significantly different among these three groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of both Bcl-2 and Bax were significantly higher in the upper and middle zone in the selenium deficiency group, iodine deficiency group, and combined selenium and iodine deficiency group (all P < 0.05); however, the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were not significantly different among these three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSelenium and/or iodine deficiency may induce chondrocyte apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cartilage, Articular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chondrocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Selenium ; deficiency

OBJECTIVETo understand the national situation of quality and consumption of iodized salt at production and household levels.

METHODSDetailed surveillance method could be found in 'national iodized salt surveillance scheme', issued by MOH in 2004. The iodine concentrations in salt (except some special kinds of salt) were detected by direct titration with national standard of GB/T 13025.7-1999, in which the iodine content in qualified iodized salt was set as between 20 and 50 mg/kg and that in non-iodized salt was set as below 5 mg/kg.

RESULTSAt production level, the national lot qualified rate was 98.36% and all the provincial lot qualified rate of production level was over 90%. At household level, the national iodized salt coverage rate of household was 96.87% and the national qualified iodized salt coverage rate was 93.75%. 4 provinces (Tibet, Hainan, Xinjiang and Guangdong) had an iodized salt coverage rate lower than 90%. Further, the qualified iodized salt coverage rate of 5 provinces (Tibet, Hainan, Xinjiang, Guangdong and Qinghai) was below 90%. In 2006,80 counties did not conduct the iodized salt surveillance and non-iodized salt coverage rate of 185 counties was higher than 10%. In the respect of the qualified iodized salt coverage rate at household level, there were about 10 percent lagging behind the national goal that 95% of all the counties in China should achieve virtual elimination of iodine deficiency disorder before 2010.

CONCLUSIONAt national level,the lot qualified rate at production level and the iodized salt coverage rate at household level maintained comparatively well. However, at county level, there were 75 counties whose iodized salt coverage rate was below 70%.

China ; Goiter ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Population Surveillance ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary