Available online at www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com Scholars Research Library Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2015, 7 (7):271-280 (http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/archive.html) ISSN 0975-5071 USA CODEN: DPLEB4 271 Scholar Research Library Iodine and nutritional status of primary school children in a Nigerian Community Okpuje, in Nsukka LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria 1 Nwamarah, Joy Ugo * , 2 Otitoju Olawale, Otitoju Grace Taiwo Olawale and 3 Emewulu, Chidinma Uju Doris 1,3 Department of Home Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2 Department of Biochemistry, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT This study was designed to assess iodine levels and nutritional status of primary school children in a Nigerian community, Okpuje, using recommended quantifiable indicators. A total of 395 school children, 6-12 years (204 males and 191 females) were selected through a multistage random sampling procedure. Structured administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socioeconomic anddietary status of respondents using 24hr dietary recall. Heights and weights of the children were measured using standard methods. The WHO Z score system was used to classify stunting, wasting and underweight among the children. Goiter was assessed clinically using the standard palpation method. Salt samples were collected from Okpuje market and pupils’ homes to test for iodine content. Twenty percent sub-sample urinary iodine excretion (UIE) levels were analyzed using the Sandell-Koltholf reaction forits determination. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. The result shows that majority of the children consumed cereals and cassava based diets for breakfast, lunch and supper. There was no child found with goiter; prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight were 19.5%, 8.9% and 8.5% respectively. Wasting was more in male children, while under weight and stunting were more in females. The median UIE was 124.7μg/L. About 96.2% of the children had UIE value consistent with adequate intake (UIE > 100μg/L). A total of 3.8% of the children had mean UIE less than 100μg/L. Iodine content of 395 home salt samples tested with spot testing kit revealed that 94.2% had iodine greater than15ppm. The entire market salt sample had iodine greater than 15ppm. The median urinary excretion of 124.7μg/L obtained for this study suggests that there no iodine deficiency in majority of the respondents and indicates that Okpuje in Nsukka LGA is in the transition phase of iodine deficiency to iodine sufficiency. Key words: urinary iodine, nutritional status, children, underweight, goiter, nutrition, _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) is a serious public health problem in developing countries. It is one of the oldest and most insidious of human health problems. WHO (2011) estimated that two billion people worldwide including 285 million children of school age have iodine deficiency despite major national and international efforts to increase iodine intake, mainly through voluntary or mandatory intake of salt (WHO, 2011). Recent estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) indicate that 54 countries are still affected by iodine deficiency and nearly 2 billion individuals worldwide are iodine-deficient. A large percentage of the world population is at risk of iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) (Delange&Hetzel, 2003). Poor nutrition remains a global epidemic contributing to more than half of all children’s mortality, about 5.6 million per year. It has been reported that as severity of iodine deficiency increases, the occurrence of poor pregnancy outcome such as miscarriage, still birth, and increased infant mortality is more likely (Bruno & Maria, 2004). Several parts of Nigeria have been identified with goiterendemicity and labeled the “goitre belt” (Abua et al.,