[Impact of the actions for the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency in Cuba].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of the Sustainable Elimination of Iodine Deficiency Program through determination of urinary iodine and goiter prevalence.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Cuban school children aged 6 to 11 years old in 2011-2012. A stratified multistage sample was used in which the levels of iodine excretion in urine (urinary iodine) and the presence of goiter were determined.


RESULTS
The median urinary iodine was 176.3 µg/L; 7.6% of the students showed some deficiency of iodine, only 2.2% were below 50 µg/L (severe deficiency), and 15.3% had urinary iodine above 300 µg/L. The percentage of school children with optimal iodine nutrition was 43.5%, this category showed a significantly higher frequency (p=0.03) in the mountain areas (52.5%). Goiter prevalence was 17.6% which corresponds to a mild endemic. However, in the mountain area the prevalence was 32.6% (severe endemic).


CONCLUSIONS
The comprehensive analysis of the impact of iodine deficiency control measures assessed by urinary iodine excretion and goiter prevalence reflects that it is no longer a population health problem in urban and rural areas of Cuba, attributable to a proper process of salt iodization. Nevertheless, high goiter prevalence is still observed in the mountain area of Cuba.
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
C Blanca
CB
Terry-Berro
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Ibrahim
I
Quintana-Jardines
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Maytell
M
de la Paz-Luna
Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital Pediátrico de Santa Clara, Santa Clara, Cuba.
Julieta
J
García
Servicio de Radiología, Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Calixto García, La Habana, Cuba.
Raúl
R
Fernández-Bohórquez
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Denise
D
Silvera-Téllez
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Yoandry
Y
Díaz-Fuentes
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Ana
A
Ferret-Martínez
Instituto de Nutrición e Higiene de los Alimentos, La Habana, Cuba.
Denia
D
Reyes-Fernández
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012423:Rural Health; D014504:Urban Health
D007455:Iodine