title: Goitre prevalence and the state of iodine nutrition in the sundarban delta of north 24-parganas in West Benegal.
abstract: The main objective of this study was to assess the iodine nutritional status among school children (6-12 yrs) of Sundarban delta in North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal in eastern India. A total of 2050 children were clinically examined for goiter and 240 urine samples were analyzed for iodine and thiocyanate respectively; iodine content in 48 water samples and 210 salt samples were also measured. Results indicate that the studied region is clinically severely goiter endemic having goiter prevalence 33.1 % (grade 1: 30.4 %; grade 2: 2.7%),median urinary iodine level 200 mug/l indicating no biochemical iodine deficiency, 65.2 % salt samples contain recommended level of iodine and the iodine content in drinking water is sufficient while mean urinary thiocyanate level was 0.708+/-0.38 mg/dl. In spite of the consumption of adequate iodine, the existing goiter prevalence may be for the consumption of dietary goitrogens/antithyroid substances that possibly come through food and water.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700009, India. amark_chandra@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Amar K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: Smritiratan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.forename: Dishari
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Arijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.forename: Sanjukta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
mesh_terms: D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D006042:Goiter / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000652:urine; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000652:urine; D014675:Vegetables; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D013861:Thiocyanates; D014867:Water; D007455:Iodine; C031760:thiocyanate