This article is a study on iodine nutritional status among 1627 school children aged 6-12 years, along with biochemical analysis of iodine of 200 urine samples, 50 drinking water samples and 175 salt samples carried out in certain randomly selected areas of the district Howrah in Gangetic West Bengal. Results indicate that the entire region is clinically goitre endemic having goitre prevalence 38%; however the median urinary iodine level was 25 microg/dl indicating no biochemical iodine deficiency, 70% salt samples had a recommended level of iodine and the region was found to be environmentally iodine sufficient. Consumption of dietary goitrogen and hard drinking water may have the possible role for the persistence of endemic goitre in the region.
Iodine content in drinking water samples ranged from 1.8-2.6 microg/l showing that the studied region is environmentally iodine deficient. Inspite of the consumption of adequate iodine, the existing goiter prevalence among school children during post salt iodization phase ensures that environmental factors other than iodine deficiency may have the possible role in the persistence of endemic goiter in the population. The role of thiocyanate in this regard may not be ruled out.
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