World Iodine Deficiency Day is celebrated every year on 21st October. World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a survey that 54 countries in the world are iodine deficient. One-third of the total world’s population has the risk of being affected by iodine deficiency.

Since 1980s, World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the "forefront of a worldwide public health drive to eliminate this under-publicized yet devastating deficiency." The Organization provides both technical tools – scientifically sound standards, guidelines and methodologies – and technical guidance to build up national salt iodization programmes. World Iodine Deficiency Day: Dangerous Consequences of Iodine Deficiency That You Must Know Of.

The World Iodine Deficiency day 2020 aims to highlight the danger of less iodine in food and create awareness among the people. Since prevention is better than cure, spreading the benefits of iodine helps people to eat right and adapt to a healthy lifestyle. Of greater significance is IDD’s less visible, yet pervasive, mental impairment that reduces intellectual capacity at home, in school and at work.

Iodine deficiency is a reality in India because the soil in this part of the world is iodine deficient; especially in the North Eastern states. Iodine is not made in our body; we get our share through the food and water we intake. Iodine deficiency can lead to goitre, hypothyroidism and mental retardation in infants and children whose mother was iodine deficient during pregnancy. In India, sale of non-iodized salt is banned. This makes salt the single most important source of iodine for Indians. How to Prevent Iodine Deficiency and Improve Your Thyroid Function.

Iodine deficiency is one of the main cause of impaired cognitive development in children. 54 countries are still iodine-deficient. Efforts are required to strengthen sustainable salt iodization programmes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2020 07:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).