Objective: Iodine nutritional status is measured by urinary iodine concentration thereby allowing risks involved in such deficiency or increase to be assessed. Studying the frequency of the risk of iodine deficiency disorders, or more than suitable iodine intake in schoolchildren from Quindío.
Methods: Urinary iodine concentration was measured in a casual urine sample taken from each subject; this study lasted from 2006 to 2007.
Results: Median urinary iodine was 272.4 microg/L in the 444 samples analysed. 11.9% of schoolchildren had normal urinary iodine, 28.8% had iodine deficiency and 11.5% of them had a severe deficit, 12.6% moderate deficit and 4.7% slight deficit. 59.3% presented a risk of excessive iodine intake. The range of iodine deficiency in boys was 31% and 26.6% in girls (no significant difference). No significant difference was found with age; however, there was a significant difference between economic levels 1 and 2 (p <0.000). Municipalities in rural areas had 100% iodine deficiency (median um < 100 microg/L) whilst those in the urban area (Armenia, Tebaida and The Caimo) had excessive iodine intake.
Conclusions: The population being studied had severe iodine deficiencies (rural) and excessive intake (urban population), suggesting the absence or poor control of an iodization programme and additional exposure to factors causing iodine disorders. A programme is required for monitoring iodine disorders in the school population being studied.