Children whose mother had insufficient iodine intake during pregnancy have poor literacy rates, finds Tasmanian study. Tasmanian scientists have requested all expectant females to include iodine supplements. Iodine is important for proper neurological development of the baby and its deficiency in pregnancy is hence harmful.
About ten years back, at the Royal Hobart Hospital, the experts from the Menzies Research Institute assessed levels of iodine in the blood samples of around 200 expectant mothers. The scientists observed that 70 percent of the mothers were deficient in trace elements. When standardized literacy tests were given to evaluate their level of literacy, the results showed that children of iodine deficient mothers were poor in their spellings.
Iodine Deficiency Disorder - Causes - NIDDCP Launch - Objectives - NIDDCP Executed - FAQs
To control IDD, the ‘National Goiter Control Program (NGCP)’ was launched which was later renamed as the ‘National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Program (NIDDCP)’.
To control IDD, the ‘National Goiter Control Program (NGCP)’ was launched which was later renamed as the ‘National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Program (NIDDCP)’.
Professor Ian Hay of the University of Tasmania stated that the development issues arising due to iodine deficiency cannot be cured by giving supplements during childhood years. Professor Hay said, "This is a major international study because it gives us a better understanding about why some students in our classrooms are having educational difficulties that aren't related to the teacher."
A recent study conducted by Tanzanian scientists showed that the children who were not given sufficient iodine in mother's womb had a low level of literacy as compared to their peers. The study was published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Iodine is essential for the growth and development of the brain. Iodine is a trace element and is required in small amount so even a slight deficiency of iodine can adversely affect baby's neurological growth and development.
Pregnant women should strictly adopt public health guidelines and include dietary supplements including iodine in their daily diet.
Source-Medindia
Iodine Deficiency: A Global Initiative to Weed Out the Problem
The earliest reports of iodine deficiency emerged from China, almost 5000 years ago. Nature came to the rescue in the form of sea weeds and many of those who ate sea weeds actually weeded out
The earliest reports of iodine deficiency emerged from China, almost 5000 years ago. Nature came to the rescue in the form of sea weeds and many of those who ate sea weeds actually weeded out
