LOW-LEVELS OF URINARY IODINE EXCRETION IN SCHOOLCHILDREN OF RURAL-AREAS IN CUBA

Objective: We set up a baseline data on urinary iodine excretion from a nationwide representative sample of rural schoolchildren before inst ituting iodine supplementation. Design: Stratified multistage cluster sampling in three different strata: lowlands, foothills and mountainou s areas. Early morning urine samples were collected for evaluation of iodine status. Setting: Field study in 25 municipalities in 11 out of 14 provinces. The study was carried out from October to December 1995. Subjects: Three thousand and twenty-seven schoolchildren of either se x, 6 to < 12 y from 87 primary schools. Results: The median urinary io dine excretion was 95 mu g/L for the whole sample. The situation in a few foothills and all mountainous areas showed a moderate to severe de ficiency. In the mountainous stratum, the median urinary iodine excret ion values was less than 20 mu g/L. Conclusions: Cuba has a mild iodin e deficiency public health problem with respect to WHO criteria, which in the mountainous areas is severe. The Government of Cuba has starte d a national Plan of Action and funds are being mobilized to introduce nationwide iodized salt. Sponsorship: UNICEF-Cuba and The Cuban Minis try of Public Health.