Background: Iodine deficiency is a major public health problem all over the world, particularly among preschool children and pregnant women in low-income countries like Ethiopia and it is known to be the most common cause of preventable brain damage.
Objectives: to determine urinary iodine concentration and to assess the level of iodine deficiency disorders.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 386 randomly selected primary school children to determine urinary iodine concentrations as to assess level of iodine deficiency and iodine in take in Bahir Dar town.
Results: Median urinary iodine excretion was 58.8 mg/L (12.89 mg/L to 564.5 mg/L) which indicated the presence of mild iodine deficiency. Eighty seven percent of the children had urinary iodine excretion of below 100 mg/L and the intake of iodine was below 150 mg/day.
Conclusions: Mild iodine deficiency disorder was found in Bahir Dar primary school children, Iodine intake was also found insufficient. Therefore, use of salt ionization should be advocated and strengthened.