Endnote export
%T Results from the National Strategy for improvement of iodine nutrition in Bulgaria: a study of children and pregnant women living in an iodine-deficient area %A Gatseva, Penka D. %A Bivolarska, Anelia V. %A Argirova, Mariana D. %J Journal of Public Health %N 3 %P 237-240 %V 19 %D 2010 %K Urinary iodine; Children; Pregnant women; Iodine nutrition %= 2011-05-20T10:49:00Z %~ http://www.peerproject.eu/ %> https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-251370 %X Background: A significant part of Bulgaria is considered an iodine-deficient area. The National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) was developed in 1994, and regular surveys undertaken in 2000–2003 indicated a normalization of the iodine supply in the Bulgarian population, including some at-risk population groups (children, schoolchildren, pregnant women). Despite the results achieved, mandating periodic cohort surveys for tracking the elimination of iodine deficiency is necessary. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the the national strategy for improvement of iodine nutrition in children and pregnant women living in an iodine-deficient area in Bulgaria 15 years after its update. Subjects and methods: Study subjects were 73 children aged 9.21 ± 2.07 years (29 boys and 44 girls) and 16 pregnant women living in the town of Asenovgrad. Urinary iodine concentration was measured and used as an index of iodine intake. Results: The median urinary iodine of the inspected children was between 100–199 μg/l, which is an indicator of optimal iodine nutrition. Almost 1/3 of the children (31.5%) had iodine deficiency. The median urinary iodine concentration of the 16 pregnant women investigated was 127.0 μg/l, which is an indicator of insufficient iodine intake. Conclusion: Despite the normalization of the iodine supply in the past years in the at-risk population groups of children and pregnant women, a considerable portion of them still has iodine deficiency. Recommendations for improving health education and iodine nutrition in at-risk population groups were made. %C DEU %G en %9 journal article %W GESIS - http://www.gesis.org %~ SSOAR - http://www.ssoar.info