Community monitoring of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme in the National Capital Region of Delhi.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was conducted to assess the current status of iodine-deficiency disorders (IDD) in the National Capital Region of Delhi (NCR Delhi) and evaluate the implementation and impact of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP).


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
School-going children (n 1230) in the age group of 6-12 years were enrolled from thirty primary schools in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Thirty schools were selected using the probability-proportional-to-size cluster sampling methodology. In each identified school forty-one children were surveyed. Urine and salt samples were collected and studied for iodine concentration. A total of sixty salt samples from retail level were also collected.


METHODS
Schoolchildren aged 6-12 years.


RESULTS
The median urinary iodine excretion (UIE) was found to be 198·4 μg/l. The percentage of children with UIE levels of <20·0, 20·0-49·9, 50·0-99·9 and ≥100·0 μg/l was 1·9, 4·3, 9·5 and 84·2%, respectively. The proportion of households consuming adequately iodized salt (salt with iodine levels of at least 15 ppm at consumption level) was 88·8%. The assessment of iodine content of salt revealed that only 6·1% of the families were consuming salt with iodine content less than 7 ppm. At retail level 88·3% of salt samples had >15 ppm iodine.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant progress has been achieved towards elimination of IDD from NCR Delhi. There is a need for further strengthening of the system to monitor the quality of iodized salt provided to the beneficiaries under the universal salt iodization programme and so eliminate IDD from NCR Delhi.
Agarwal
Juhi
J
Department of Foods and Nutrition, Faculty of Family and Community Sciences, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Fatehgunj, Vadodara-390 002, Gujarat, India. juhiagar@gmail.com
Pandav
Chandrakant S
CS
Karmarkar
Madhukar G
MG
Nair
Sirimavo
S
D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D007455:Iodine