Iodine deficency in Aboriginal teenagers may be causing ill health and disability
Iodine deficiency may be a significant contributor to ill health and disability among the Northern Territory Indigenous population, according to a study in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Dr Dorothy Mackerras, Principal Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, and co-authors, determined the iodine status of participants in the Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study who resided in the Darwin Health Region in the Northern Territory before the introduction of mandatory iodine fortification of bread in October 2009.
“Our results are a reminder that iodine deficiency affects males and females of all ages; although most surveys target only primary school-aged children and pregnant women,” Dr Mackerras said.
“We recommend that future health studies in Indigenous populations assess the possibility that iodine deficiency, which may be a significant contributor to ill health and disability, continues to exist.”
Participants involved in the study had been recruited at birth and were followed up at a mean age of 17.8 years. Spot urine samples were collected and assessed for iodine concentration.
Urine specimens were provided by 376 participants. Boys and girls living in urban and remote areas were found to be iodine deficient. In urban areas, boys had a higher median urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) than non-pregnant girls, whereas the reverse was true in remote areas. The MUIC for urban boys was 20–30 µg/L higher than that for remote-dwelling boys or non-pregnant girls in either location. The MUICs reported in the study were below those reported elsewhere in Australia.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT: Dr Gurmeet Singh 08 8922 8196
Prof Creswell Eastman 0418 975 472
Ms Zoe Malone 08 8943 5018 / 0447 275 415
(Media Officer, Menzies School of Health Research)
