title: Urinary Iodine Excretion among Nepalese School Children in Terai Region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current iodine status among school children in Terai region of Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted in 2012 among the school children aged 6-12y in three Terai districts (Siraha, Saptari and Jhapa) of eastern Nepal. A total of 1105 casual urine samples were collected from children of different schools of above districts. Urinary iodine excretion was estimated using ammonium persulphate digestion method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median urinary iodine excretion in school children was 226.33μg/L (234.16μg/L, 229.25μg/L and 210.67μg/L in Siraha, Saptari and Jhapa districts respectively). About 12.7% (n = 140) children were found to be iodine deficient and 34.2% (n = 378) children had excessive iodine nutrition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was good improvement in iodine nutrition among children in Terai region, with a large part of population showing excessive iodine nutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Central Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, 44600, Nepal. khatiwadasaroj22@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Saroj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatiwada
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Basanta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gelal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal.
authors.forename: Prem Raj
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Shakya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Madhab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamsal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Nirmal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baral
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012572:School Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine
keywords: Iodine deficiency; Nepal; School children; Terai; Urinary iodine excretion