title: Status of iodine nutrition among pregnant mothers in selected districts of Uttarakhand, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uttarakhand state is a known endemic area for iodine deficiency.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted with an objective to assess the iodine nutritional status amongst pregnant mothers (PMs) in districts: Pauri (P), Nainital (N) and Udham Singh Nagar (USN) of Uttarakhand state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty clusters from each district were selected by utilizing the population proportionate to size cluster sampling methodology. A total of 1727 PMs from P (481), N (614) and USN (632) were included. The clinical examination of the thyroid of each PM was conducted. Urine and salt samples were collected from a sub samples of PMs enlisted for thyroid clinical examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total Goiter rate was found to be 24.9 (P), 20.2 (N) and 16.1 (USN)%. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) levels were found to be 110 μg/L (P), 117.5 μg/L (N) and 124 μg/L (USN). The percentage of PMs consuming salt with iodine content of 15 ppm and more was found to be 57.9 (P), 67.0 (N) and 50.3 (USN).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study revealed that the PMs in all three districts had low iodine nutritional status as revealed by UIC levels of less than 150 μg/L.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Umesh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kapil
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sareen
authors.affiliation: Department of Foods and Nutrition, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Vanisha S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Preetika
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khenduja
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shubhra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pande
keywords: Goiter; iodine deficiency disorder; pregnant mothers; salt iodisation; urinary iodine concentration