Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) is a public health problem and in India, no state is free from iodine deficiency. About 200 million people are ‘at risk’ of IDD in India.

A few salient facts

o IDD affects over 740 million people, 13% of the world’s population; 30% of the remainder are at risk.

o IDD preys upon poor, pregnant women and preschool children, posing serious public health problems in 130 developing countries.

o Iodine deficiency is a problem for the developing brains of foetuses and young children. According to the WHO, it is the single greatest cause of mental retardation. In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the foetus relies on its mother directly for thyroid hormone. After that, it uses iodine from the mother to make its own.

o Iodine-deficient people may forfeit 15 IQ points.

o Nearly 50 million people suffer from some degree of IDD-related brain damage. Yet we have the means to prevent it – small quantities of iodine at low cost.

The answer to iodine deficiency disorders is iodized salt. A spectacularly simple, universally effective, wildly attractive and incredibly cheap technical weapon – IODIZED SALT.

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