Almost a third of New Zealand children are low in iodine and may be at risk of developing goitre - an enlarged thyroid gland.
Health Ministry senior adviser on nutrition Mary Louise Hannah told a parliamentary select committee yesterday there was a strong case for boosting levels of iodine in the food supply because intake of iodised salt has dropped.
A 2002 national children's nutrition survey found 28 per cent of children showed signs of mild iodine deficiency. Iodine is an essential nutrient and deficiency can lead to goitre, and affect cognitive development.
Analysis of an Otago University study of about 300 children found 11 per cent of them had iodine deficiency goitre, according to World Health Organisation standards revised in 2001.
Prevalence of over 5 per cent is considered endemic.
"So even though it's not apparent, there's actually something happening with thyroids for children," Ms Hannah said.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority spokeswoman Carol Inkster said the iodine intake of New Zealanders had declined to the point where intervention was necessary to prevent goitre, a disease that was common early last century. Iodine was added to table salt in 1924, but New Zealanders now ate more ready-made meals that were prepared without iodised salt.
The withdrawal of iodophors used to sanitise dairy factory equipment and milk bottles also meant there was less iodine in milk.
Ms Insker said iodine could be toxic at high levels and asking food manufacturers to use iodised salt could be dangerous. The authority was investigating other options such as adding iodised salt to bread. "There are so many negatives about salt, so it's a real dilemma."
Any food fortification measures would have to be approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand after public consultation. It is considering the mandatory addition of folate to flour, bread and cereals to help prevent neural tube defects in babies.
National Party associate health spokesman Paul Hutchison said the Government had achieved little in the past four years to prevent 25 to 35 neural tube defects a year, despite agreeing that folate prevents birth defects and that it is lacking in New Zealand diets.
Ms Inkster said food manufacturers could already voluntarily add folate to their products.
By KELLY ANDREW
Health Ministry senior adviser on nutrition Mary Louise Hannah told a parliamentary select committee yesterday there was a strong case for boosting levels of iodine in the food supply because intake of iodised salt has dropped.
A 2002 national children's nutrition survey found 28 per cent of children showed signs of mild iodine deficiency. Iodine is an essential nutrient and deficiency can lead to goitre, and affect cognitive development.
Analysis of an Otago University study of about 300 children found 11 per cent of them had iodine deficiency goitre, according to World Health Organisation standards revised in 2001.
Prevalence of over 5 per cent is considered endemic.
"So even though it's not apparent, there's actually something happening with thyroids for children," Ms Hannah said.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority spokeswoman Carol Inkster said the iodine intake of New Zealanders had declined to the point where intervention was necessary to prevent goitre, a disease that was common early last century. Iodine was added to table salt in 1924, but New Zealanders now ate more ready-made meals that were prepared without iodised salt.
The withdrawal of iodophors used to sanitise dairy factory equipment and milk bottles also meant there was less iodine in milk.
Ms Insker said iodine could be toxic at high levels and asking food manufacturers to use iodised salt could be dangerous. The authority was investigating other options such as adding iodised salt to bread. "There are so many negatives about salt, so it's a real dilemma."
Any food fortification measures would have to be approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand after public consultation. It is considering the mandatory addition of folate to flour, bread and cereals to help prevent neural tube defects in babies.
National Party associate health spokesman Paul Hutchison said the Government had achieved little in the past four years to prevent 25 to 35 neural tube defects a year, despite agreeing that folate prevents birth defects and that it is lacking in New Zealand diets.
Ms Inkster said food manufacturers could already voluntarily add folate to their products.
By KELLY ANDREW
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