Australia: Salt needs More of Iodine

Iodine Deficiency is prevalent among one in two Australian children, according to reports published today in the Medical Journal of Australia. Iodine deficiency is known to lead to a host of problems including brain damage, stunted growth and deafness.

Professor Cres Eastman, one among Australia's leading endocrinologists has co-authored these findings. He has issued a wake up call to the authorities who seem to be very slow in remedial measures - compulsory iodized salt, would be an answer to this problem, according to him.

Combining the mineral iodine, into the salt is perhaps the easiest and efficient way of ensuring iodine levels in the body, and thus averting iodine deficiency disorders.

Despite WHO's recommendation that all the salt be iodized, only 10% of Australian salt is iodized, according to Professor Cres Eastman.