Iodine Network Bulletin
Volume 1 Issue 6, October 2005
Welcome to the six first issue of the Iodine Network electronic Bulletin from the Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency.
In this issue:
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1. First Asian Salt Forum: Beijing, October 19-21, 2005
2. International Business Forum: Engaging the Private Sector as True Partner in Anti-Poverty Effort
3. U.N. Human Development Report 2005
4. Research Publication: Current global iodine status and progress over the last decade towards the elimination of iodine deficiency (Bull World Health Organ 1 Jul 2005 83(7): p. 518).
5. Research Publication: Iodine uptake and loss - can frequent strenuous exercise induce iodine deficiency? (Horm Metab Res 1 Sep 2005 37(9): p. 555).
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1. First Asian Salt Forum: Beijing Oct 19-21, 2005
The First Asian Salt Forum was held in Beijing, China, organized by the China National Salt Industry Corporation (CNSIC). About 200 delegates from 14 countries (Bangladesh, China, Germany, Japan, Kazakstan, India, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, South Korea, the Philippines, Switzerland, Thailand and Vietnam) including representatives from governments, salt industry, international organizations and academic institutions participated in the Forum. The Forum was aimed to strengthen communication and promote development among Asian salt industries with a theme of “Unity, Cooperation, Development and Win-win”. Among the topic discussed, “Elimination of Iodine Deficiency through Universal Salt Iodization” was a major discussion in the first day. “As the world’s largest salt trade, the Asian salt industry also faces a challenge to eliminate iodine deficiency. Thus, it’s important to strengthen exchanges and cooperation among Asian salt industries and to work together for improvement, said Mr Mao Qingguo, the President of CNSIC.Dr Rainer Gross on behalf of the Network and UNICEF gave a presentation on the importance of partnership to sustain elimination of iodine deficiency. The Network also organized posters exhibition as part of its participation in the Forum. At the end of the Forum, participants adopted the “Beijing statement” with action components include sustained elimination of iodine deficiency through universal salt iodization in Asia. The Network presentation and poster can be downloaded at www.IodineNetwork.net
2. International Business Forum: Engaging the Private Sector as True Partner in Anti-Poverty Effort
As part of the international efforts to reduce poverty, governments, civil society and the development community at large should engage the private sector as a true partner in addressing specific anti-poverty efforts and not simply consider it a source of financing, said World Bank Institute Vice President Frannie Léautier in a speech delivered at the 10th International Business Forum 2005.
The main topic of the forum, held at the New York University between the 11th and 13th of September as part of United Nations Millennium Summit, was “Business and the Millennium Development Goals: An Active Role for Globally Responsible Companies”. Almost two hundred participants from the private sector, governments and international organizations participated in the forum, which was co-sponsored by InWEnt, the World Bank Institute, Instituto Ethos and the UN Global Compact. Amongst the major topics discussed at the conference, Partnership for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency came to the fore as an example where a private sector can and must be enabled to contribute to development. While recognizing that the challenges are great, participants agreed that there is much more that the private sector can do and much more that other sectors can do to support positive business efforts.For more information on the Forum or business and the MDGs, go to http://www.businessandmdgs.org. Network’s presentations can be downloaded at http://www.iodinenetwork.net/News_NYC.htm#mdg
3. U.N. Human Development Report 2005
U.N.D.P. recently published this year's Human Development Report entitled International Cooperation at a crossroads: Aid, trade, and security in an unequal world. It takes stock of human development, including progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Looking beyond statistics, it highlights the human costs of missed targets. Extreme inequality between and within countries is identified as one of the main barriers to human development and a powerful brake on accelerated progress towards the MDGs. The report also argues that economic development, alone will fail to produce sustained poverty reduction. The focus needs to be redirected towards improving equality, narrowing the gap between the rich and poor, men and women, and eliminating regional disparities. The full report is located at http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/
4. Research Publication: Current global iodine status and progress over the last decade towards the elimination of iodine deficiency.
M Andersson, B Takkouche, I Egli, HE Allen, and B de BenoistBull World Health Organ 1 Jul 2005 83(7): p. 518.OBJECTIVE: To estimate worldwide iodine nutrition and monitor country progress towards sustained elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on urinary iodine (UI) and total goitre prevalence (TGP) in school-age children from 1993-2003 compiled in the WHO Global Database on Iodine Deficiency were analysed. The median UI was used to classify countries according to the public health significance of their iodine nutrition status. Estimates of the global and regional populations with insufficient iodine intake were based on the proportion of each country's population with UI below 100 microg/l. TGP was computed for trend analysis over 10 years. FINDINGS: UI data were available for 92.1% of the world's school-age children. Iodine deficiency is still a public health problem in 54 countries. A total of 36.5% (285 million) school-age children were estimated to have an insufficient iodine intake, ranging from 10.1% in the WHO Region of the Americas to 59.9% in the European Region. Extrapolating this prevalence to the general population generated an estimate of nearly two billion individuals with insufficient iodine intake. Iodine intake was more than adequate, or excessive, in 29 countries. Global TGP in the general population was 15.8%. CONCLUSION: Forty-three countries have reached optimal iodine nutrition. Strengthened UI monitoring is required to ensure that salt iodization is having the desired impact, to identify at-risk populations and to ensure sustainable prevention and control of iodine deficiency. Efforts to eliminate iodine deficiency should be maintained and expanded.Source: http://highwire.stanford.edu/cgi/medline/pmid;16175826
5. Research Publication: Iodine uptake and loss - can frequent strenuous exercise induce iodine deficiency?
PP Smyth and LH DuntasHorm Metab Res 1 Sep 2005 37(9): p. 555.Most of the daily dietary iodine intake (approximately 90 %) will be excreted in the urine; measurement of urinary iodine excretion is thus routinely used as an index of dietary iodine intake. However, urinary excretion is not the only means of iodine loss. Subjects such as athletes or those participating in vigorous exercise can lose a considerable amount of iodine in sweat, depending on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. In areas of lower to moderate dietary iodine intake, loss in sweat can equal that in urine. Although electrolyte loss in sweat is well-recognized and replacement strategies are adopted, there is less recognition of potential iodine loss. Crude calculations reveal that if sweat iodide losses are not replaced, dietary stores could be depleted in an athlete undergoing a regular training regime. The significance of these losses could be increased in areas where dietary iodine intake is lower in the summer months. Although there is little doubt that excessive sweating can induce a relative iodine deficiency state, there is no case as yet for iodine supplementation in those that take vigorous exercise. However, sustained iodine loss may have implications for thyroid status and possibly consequences for athletic performance.
Source: http://highwire.stanford.edu/cgi/medline/pmid;16175493
The Iodine Network Bulletin is prepared by the Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency and posted on its website, www.IodineNetwork.net. If you have any information to share or queries please contact Dr. Juliawati Untoro, IDD Network Secretary at Info@IodineNetwork.net |
