Progress towards eliminating iodine deficiency in South Africa

  • P Jooste Nutritional Intervention Research Unit
  • M B Zimmermann
Keywords: iodine, deficiency, salt iodation, Africa, goitre, daily iodine intake, thyroid gland

Abstract

Before the introduction of salt iodisation in 1954, South Africa was one of the many countries of the world with a lack of iodine in most of its territory and hence there was a need for a salt iodisation programme. The understanding of the iodine situation in South Africa, the basics of iodine nutrition and progress toward eliminating iodine deficiency internationally and in South Africa are reviewed in this paper. Voluntary salt iodisation in the country at 10–20 ppm introduced in 1954 failed to eliminate endemic goitre and iodine deficiency.

Author Biographies

P Jooste, Nutritional Intervention Research Unit
Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
M B Zimmermann
Human Nutrition Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Switzerland and Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Published
2008-02-28
How to Cite
Jooste, P., & Zimmermann, M. (2008). Progress towards eliminating iodine deficiency in South Africa. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 21(1), 08. Retrieved from http://sajcn.co.za/index.php/SAJCN/article/view/185
Section
Invited Review