Iodine nutritional status and risk factors for iodine deficiency in infants and children of the french North department

Introduction - Iodine deficiency is responsible for a higher mortality and morbidity in neonates and infants. It has not yet disappeared in European countries, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe. Objectives - The present study aimed at evaluating the status of iodine nutrition of infants living in the North department (France) and at studying risk factors for iodine deficiency. Methods - The study was conducted in primary health care centres in 160 healthy infants aged ten days to six years (mean +/- SD: 17.7 +/- 2.5 months). Data included: familial thyroid disease history, type of feeding at inclusion, timing of introduction of complementary foods, nutritional status (weight, height, head and arm circumference), as well as maternal education level and family socio-economical status. Iodine status was assessed by urinary iodine excretion. Results - Urinary iodine concentration ranged from 4 to 1042 mug/1 (median +/- SD: 195,5 +/- 21,6 mug/1). Thirty-eight (24%) of 160 children were iodine deficient (urinary iodine < 100 mug/1): mild iodine deficiency (50-99 mug/1: 17%), moderate iodine deficiency (20-49 mug/1: 5%), severe iodine deficiency (<20 mug/1: 2%). No relationship was found between iodine status and age, sex, geographic origin of the children, as well as social and occupational group of the parents. Breast-feeding did not prevent from iodine deficiency. Iodine status did not differ between the cow's milk fed group and the group that was not fed cow's milk. Formula feeding was associated with iodine deficiency (P = 0,02). Conclusion - Prevalence of severe iodine deficiency was very low in this population. However, iodine status was not optimal. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.