The prevalence of goiter and urinary iodine exertion in school-aged children in Zanjan

Background & Objective: Iodine deficiency was a public health problem in Iran before iodine supplementation. In order to evaluate the iodine status of school aged children in Zanjan, this survey was conducted in the frame work of national monitoring survey in ۲۰۰۱ to find the prevalence of goiter and urinary iodine level. Materials & Methods: ۱۲۰۰ schoolchildren, aged ۷-۱۰ years, were selected randomly from all regions of Zanjan, and the grade of goiter, in ۶۰۰ boys and ۶۰۰ girls, was determined according to WHO classification. Urinary iodine content was measured using the digestion method in one tenth of the schoolchildren. Results: Total goiter rate was ۱۹.۷%, ۲۲۵% in girls and ۱۶.۸% in boys. Median urinary iodine was ۱۸.۱ µg/dl. Urinary iodine was above ۱۰ μg/dl in ۸۵.۱% and less than ۵ µg/dl in ۱.۶%, no one had urinary iodine below ۲ µg/dl. There was no difference in goiter prevalence and urinary iodine between gender and rural or urban school children. Conclusion: It is concluded that urinary iodine levels in school children of Zanjan province are indicative of adequate iodine intake. There is considerable decrease in goiter rate as compared to survey of ۱۹۸۶. Zanjan province therefore can be considered an “iodine deficiency free” zone.