ORIGINAL ARTICLE Iodine Deficiency Disorders Among Primary School Children in Eastern Nepal Basanta Gelal & Rajendra K. Chaudhari & Ashwini K. Nepal & Gauri S. Sah & Madhab Lamsal & David A. Brodie & Nirmal Baral Received: 3 December 2009 / Accepted: 9 July 2010 / Published online: 2 October 2010 # Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation 2010 Abstract Objective To assess the iodine status among primary school children of Dhankuta and Dharan in eastern Nepal. Methods A population based cross sectional study was conducted on schools of Dhankuta and Dharan from January–March 2008. 385 samples of both urine and salt were collected from school children aged 6–11 yrs. Urinary iodine excretion (UIE) was measured in casual urine samples by the ammonium-persulphate digestion micro- plate (APDM) method and salt iodine content by using a semi quantitative rapid test kit. Results The median UIEs of school children of Dhankuta and Dharan were 157.1 μg/L and 180.3 μg/L respectively. The percentage of iodine deficient (UIE <100 μg/L) children were 26.6% in Dhankuta and 15.6% in Dharan. The majority of children consumed packet salt. The percentages of salt samples with adequately iodized salt (≥15 ppm) were 81.3% in Dhankuta and 89.6% in Dharan. Conclusions Eastern Nepal is continuously progressing towards the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disease as illustrated by a normal median UIE and the majority of households consuming adequately iodized packet salt. It is necessary to maintain the program continuously to ensure adequate iodine nutrition of the population. Keywords APDM method . Iodine deficiency disorders . Iodized salt . Urinary iodine excretion Introduction Iodine is an essential element for thyroid function, which is necessary for the growth, development and function of the brain and body [1]. Iodine is continuously eroded from soil by glaciations, snow and floods [2]. Environmental iodine deficiency causes a wide spectrum of devastating mental and physical disabilities, collectively described as an iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). While iodine deficiency is known to cause endemic goiter, its most deleterious effect may be on the developing brain of the fetus ranging from mild brain dysfunction to irreversible mental impairment. It is the most common cause of preventable mental retarda- tion and brain damage in the world today [1, 3, 4]. Urinary iodine excretion (UIE) is the prime indicator of a person’ s current iodine nutrition status and is used to measure the success of iodine supplementation in a population along with salt iodine content at household level. According to the current recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation’ s Children’ s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), median UIE of 100–199 μg/L in samples from school children indicate adequate iodine intake and optimal iodine nutrition [4]. Primary school children are the basis for a useful study group for assessing iodine deficiency because of their physiological vulnerability, their accessibility B. Gelal : R. K. Chaudhari : A. K. Nepal : M. Lamsal : N. Baral (*) Department of Biochemistry, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal e-mail: nirmalbaral@hotmail.com G. S. Sah Department of Pediatrics, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal D. A. Brodie Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Buckinghamshire, UK Indian J Pediatr (2011) 78:45–48 DOI 10.1007/s12098-010-0239-2