title: Iodine content of salt in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
abstract: Iodine is an essential micronutrient, deficiency of which causes a number of disorders including goitre and cretinism. Inadequate data are available on the iodine content of salt consumed by beneficiaries in Andaman and Nicobar islands. A systematic study was therefore, undertaken to assess the iodine content of salt to initiate intervention measures, if required, to improve the quality of salt. A total of 275 salt samples, collected from equal number of households constituted the study sample. It was found that 57.1% of the salt samples had an iodine content of 15 ppm and above, 16% had between 10 ppm to <15 ppm, 26.5% had less than 10 ppm and only one salt sample had nil iodine content. The results of the study indicate that there is a need for further strengthening and monitoring of the quality of iodised salt procured and distributed by traders in the Union territory in order to combat iodine deficiency disorders.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Human Nutrition and Laboratory Medicine*, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kapil
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Karmarkar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goindi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nayar