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. 2018 Oct 25:62.
doi: 10.29219/fnr.v62.1443. eCollection 2018.

Sufficient iodine status among Norwegian toddlers 18 months of age - cross-sectional data from the Little in Norway study

Inger Aakre  1 , Maria Wik Markhus  1 , Marian Kjellevold  1 , Vibeke Moe  2 , Lars Smith  2 , Lisbeth Dahl  1
Affiliations

Sufficient iodine status among Norwegian toddlers 18 months of age - cross-sectional data from the Little in Norway study

Inger Aakre et al. Food Nutr Res. .

Abstract

Background: Inadequate iodine intake has been identified in several population groups in the Nordic countries over the past years; however, studies of iodine status in infants and toddlers are scarce.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the iodine status and dietary iodine sources among 18-month-old toddlers from Norway.

Methods: Cross-sectional and country representative data from the Little in Norway study were used. All children who had given a spot urine sample at 18 months age were included (n = 416). Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. Dietary habits and supplement use were measured by a food frequency questionnaire.

Results: Median (25th-75th percentiles [p25-p75]) UIC was 129 (81-190) μg/L while estimated median (p25-p75) habitual iodine intake was 109 (101-117) μg/day. None of the children were below the estimated average requirement (EAR) of 65 μg/day or above the upper intake level of 180 μg/day. There were no differences in either UIC or estimated habitual iodine intake between different geographic areas in Norway. Milk was the most important iodine source, contributing an estimated 70% to the total iodine intake, while other foods rich in iodine such as seafood and enriched baby porridge contributed about 30%.

Conclusions: The iodine status among 18-month-old toddlers from different geographic areas in Norway was sufficient, indicated by a median UIC above the WHO cutoff of 100 μg/L. This was further supported by the estimated habitual iodine intake, where none of the participants were below the EAR. Milk was an important iodine source in this age group; thus children with a low intake might be at risk of insufficient iodine intake.

Keywords: Dietary iodine intake; Iodine; Iodine intake; Toddlers; Urinary iodine concentration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The Research Council of Norway (grant number 196156) and the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund, Fiskeri og Havbruksnæringens Forskningsfond (grant number 900842) supported the work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of urinary iodine concentration (UIC) among Norwegian children 18 months of age: 33% had UIC below 100 μg/L, 59% had UIC between 100 and 299 μg/L, and 7% had UIC above 300 μg/L (n = 416).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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