DETERMINATION OF DISCRETIONARY SALT INTAKE IN RURAL GUATEMALA AND BENIN TO DETERMINE THE IODINE FORTIFICATION OF SALT REQUIRED TO CONTROL IODINE DEFICIENCY DISORDERS - STUDIES USING LITHIUM-LABELED SALT

The use of discretionary salt, which is salt added during cooking and at the table, as a suitable vehicle for iodine intake was assessed by measuring salt consumption using the lithium-marker technique in rural areas of Guatemala and Benin. In both countries, we studied boys aged 6-12 y and their mothers. Subjects used lithium-labeled salt after al l unlabeled salt was removed from their households. In Guatemala, 24-h urine samples for 9 mother-son pairs were collected at baseline and o n days 7, 8, and 9 during the use of lithium-labeled salt. Total mater nal salt intake averaged 5.2 +/- 1.7 g/d ((x) over bar +/- SD), of whi ch 77 +/- 24% came from discretionary sources, whereas Guatemalan boys consumed 1.8 +/- 0.6 g salt/d, of which 72 +/- 12% came from discreti onary sources. In Benin, urine collection from 13 mother-son pairs too k place at baseline and on days 5 and 7. Beninese mothers had a total salt intake of 9.0 +/- 2.9 g/d and their sons had an intake of 5.7 +/- 2.8 g/d; discretionary salt contributed 52 +/- 14% and 50 +/- 13%, re spectively, of total salt consumed. Therefore, fortification of househ old salt appears to be an appropriate method of controlling iodine def iciency in both countries, although fortification of other salt source s could be considered in Benin.