The Cordillera office of the National Nutrition Council (NCC-CAR) advised households to regularly use food grade iodized salt for human and animal consumption to contribute in the elimination of the micro-nutrient malnutrition in the country, particularly iodine deficiency disorders.
NNC-CAR regional nutrition program coordinator Bella Basalong said that pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8172 or the Asin Law requires all producers or manufacturers of food grade salt to iodize the salt they produce, manufacture, import, trade or distribute and for the health department to undertake the salt iodization program and for the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to set and enforce standards for food grade iodized salt.
Further, local government units are also required to check and monitor the quality of food grade salt being sold in their markets to ascertain that such salt is properly iodized.
Basalong claimed that iodine deficiency disorder is the single most common cause of preventable mental retardation, brain damage and mental suppression.
Based on the results of the Expanded national Nutrition Survey in 2018 to 2019, one out of five Filipino pregnant or lactating others suffers from iodine deficiency.
Moreover, only 33.2 percent or three out of ten Filipino households use iodized salt which is far from the target of at least 90 percent of households adequately using iodized salt.
According to her, one of the importance of addressing iodine deficiency is that women of reproductive age can prevent infertility and miscarriage, abortion or stillbirth and congenital abnormalities in babies when they become pregnant.
On the part of pregnant and lactating women, Basalong explained that they can have improved thyroid function of the fetus and neonate and decrease infant mortality, prevent neuro-cognitive impairment and prevent irreversible impairment of bran.
She underscored that iodine boosts learning and intelligence where studies show that populations with adequate iodine intake have 10 to 15 intelligence quotient points higher than those with inadequate intake.
The NNC-CAR official noted that iodine deficiency affects the entire communities where those with low iodine levels have low learning abilities and productivity.
However, Basalong admitted that iodine deficiency is still of public health significance among pregnant and lactating women. Though there is an increased median, the government is not yet able to reach the target.
During pregnancy and lactation, the NNC-CAR stipulated that iodine deficiency can severely compromise the thyroid function of the fetus and neonate, increase infant mortality, cause neuro-cognitive impairment, and irreversibly impair brain development.
A report from the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund showed that with relaxed implementation of salt iodization, iodine status deteriorates. By Dexter A. See
