title: Iodine nutritional status in Uttarakhand State, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uttarakhand (UK) state is a known endemic region to iodine deficiency (ID).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current status of iodine nutrition in a population of UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three districts, namely Udham Singh Nagar (USN), Nainital (N), and Pauri Garhwal (PG) were selected. In each district, 30 clusters were identified by utilizing the population proportional to size cluster sampling methodology. Total of 6143 school age children (SAC) (USN; 1807, N; 2269, PG: 2067), 5430 adolescent girls (AGs) (USN; 1823, N; 1811, PG: 1796), 1727 pregnant mothers (PMs) (USN; 632, N; 614, PG: 481), and 2013 Neonates (USN; 649, N; 670, PG: 694), were included in the study. Clinical examination of thyroid of each child, AG and PM was conducted. Spot urine and salt samples were collected from children, AGs and PMs. Cord blood samples were collected from neonates for estimation of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In SAC, total goiter rate (TGR) was 13.2% (USN), 15.9% (N), and 16.8% (PG). Median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) level was 150 μg/l (USN), 125 μg/l (N), and 115 μg/l (PG). In AGs, TGR was 6.8% (USN), 8.2% (N) and 5.6% (PG). Median UIC level was 250 μg/l (USN), 200 μg/l (N), and 183 μg/l (PG). In PMs, TGR was 16.1% (USN), 20.2% (N), and 24.9% (PG). Median UIC level was 124 μg/l (USN), 117.5 μg/l (N) and 110 μg/l (PG), respectively. In Neonates, TSH levels of >5 mIU/L were found in 55.3 (USN), 76.4 (N) and 72.8 (PG) percent of neonates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UIC level in PMs and TSH levels among neonates indicate the prevalence of ID in three districts surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Foods and Nutrition, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sareen
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 Foods and Nutrition, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Vanisha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ravindra Mohan
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Preetika
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khenduja
keywords: Adolescent girls; iodine-deficiency disorders; neonates; pregnant mothers; school age children