Residents need to mind intake of iodine

• Source: Global Times
• [10:03 June 18 2010]
• Comments

By Li Xiang

Chinese living in coastal areas, including Shanghai, are taking in modest amounts of salt, and not nearly enough iodine to put them at risk for gland-related diseases linked to ingesting too much iodine, according to a new government study released Thursday.

"Shanghai residents don't generally take in a lot of iodine by drinking tap water because the water provided by the city consists of relatively low levels of iodine," Leng Guangming, party chief of the Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which also contributed research to the study, told the Global Times Thursday.

"But people from Shanghai tend to eat more seafood, which contains a high concen-tration of iodine, so that helps," he added. "Still, Shanghai residents need to keep an eye on their iodine levels."

The study also has officials urging pregnant women to consume more iodine, as a lack of the chemical element can affect the fetus, and in severe cases stunt brain growth, causing retardation in newborns.

"Pregnant women in the city must raise their iodine concentration by eating more seafood and seaweed, which contain high levels of iodine," added Leng.

According to Leng, each adult should aim to ingest between 150 milligrams and 300 milligrams per day.

But the survey discovered that city women in Shanghai and Fujian take in less than 130 milligrams of iodine daily, some 20 milligrams below the optimal amount.

Concerns among residents about the overconsumption of iodine was sparked last year by a report printed by the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis underlined concerns that taking in too much iodine could lead to gland-related deficiencies.

In 1994, China added iodine to its edible salt, in an effort to curb iodine deficiency disorders. A gram of edible salt sold on store shelves contains from 20 milligrams to 50 milligrams of iodine, according to an employee surnamed Wang at the Shanghai branch of China National Salt Group.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health says that over 700 million Chinese, or 53 percent of China's population live in areas where tap water lacks the proper iodine levels.