Knowledge of iodine nutrition in the South African adult population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the level of knowledge regarding iodine nutrition and its relationship with socio-economic status in the South African population.


METHODS
A cross-sectional population survey collecting questionnaire information on knowledge of iodine nutrition and sociodemographic variables in a multistage, stratified, cluster study sample, representative of the adult South African population.


METHODS
Home visits and personal interviews in the language of the respondent.


METHODS
Data were collected from one adult in each of the selected 2164 households, and the participation rate was 98%.


RESULTS
Only 15.4% of respondents correctly identified iodised salt as the primary dietary source of iodine, 16.2% knew the thyroid gland needs iodine for its functioning, and a mere 3.9% considered brain damage, and 0.8% considered cretinism, as the most important health consequence of iodine deficiency. Compared with respondents from high socio-economic households, respondents from low socio-economic households were considerably less informed about aspects of iodine nutrition covered in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
The knowledge level of iodine nutrition is low among South Africans, particularly among the low socio-economic groups. These data suggest that the international emphasis on brain damage resulting from iodine deficiency has not been conveyed successfully to the consumer level in this country.
Divison of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. pieter.jooste@mrc.ac.za
P L
PL
Jooste
N
N
Upson
K E
KE
Charlton
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014131:Trace Elements
D014131:Trace Elements; D007455:Iodine