title: Iodine intakes and status in Irish adults: is there cause for concern?
abstract: I is an important mineral for health, required for the production of key thyroid hormones, which are essential for cellular metabolism, growth and physical development. Hence, adequate I is crucial at all stages of life, but imperative during pregnancy for fetal brain development and during a child's early life for neurodevelopment. Within Ireland, limited information exists on population I intakes and status. Therefore, the purposes of the present analysis were to estimate dietary I intakes and to analyse urinary iodine (UI) status using the cross-sectional National Adult Nutrition Survey 2008-2010 and the most recent Irish Total Diet Study. Median I intakes in the total population (n 1106) were adequate with only 26 % of the population being classified as below the estimated average requirement (EAR). Milk consumption was the major source of I in the diet, contributing 45 % to total intake. Likewise, median UI concentrations (107 µg/l) indicated 'optimal' I nutrition according to the WHO cut-off points. In our cohort, 77 % of women of childbearing age (18-50 years) did not meet the EAR recommendation set for pregnant women. Although I is deemed to be sufficient in the majority of adult populations resident in Ireland, any changes to the current dairy practices could significantly impact intake and status. Continued monitoring should be of priority to ensure that all subgroups of the population are I sufficient.
authors.affiliation: 1UCD Institute of Food and Health,University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Breige A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.affiliation: 1UCD Institute of Food and Health,University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Anne P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Nugent
authors.affiliation: 2School of Food and Nutritional Sciences,University College Cork,Cork,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: 2School of Food and Nutritional Sciences,University College Cork,Cork,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.affiliation: 3Food Safety Authority of Ireland,Abbey Court,Lower Abbey Street,Dublin 1,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tlustos
authors.affiliation: 1UCD Institute of Food and Health,University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gibney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000652:urine; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D007455:Iodine
keywords:  EAR estimated average requirement;  LRNI lower reference nutrient intake;  NANS National Adult Nutrition Survey;  TUL tolerable upper level;  UI urinary iodine; Dietary intakes; Iodine; Status; Urinary iodine