A Cross-Sectional Survey of Iodized Salt Usage in Dining Establishments - 13 PLADs, China, 2021-2022.

What is already known about this topic?: The National Iodine Deficiency Disease Surveillance system is exclusively focused on monitoring cooking salt used within households. Currently, there is a lack of nationally representative data on the use of iodized salt in dining establishments.

What is added by this report?: This study evaluated 7,889 salt samples obtained from dining establishments located in 13 provincial-level administrative divisions across China. The findings indicated that coverage rate of iodized salt (CRIS) and the consumption rate of adequately iodized salt (CRAIS) were found to be 95.2% and 90.2%, respectively. Further, 880 samples were classified as iodized salt and 804 as adequately iodized salt. In coastal areas, the CRIS and CRAIS showed a significant decrease to 77.1% and 70.5%, respectively, when compared to the inland regions (P<0.01).

What are the implications for public health practices?: The data compiled could potentially fill the void in the national data concerning the use of iodized salt in dining establishments throughout China. It is of the utmost importance to increase the awareness of restaurant operators, particularly those located in coastal areas, about the benefits of iodine supplementation. Moreover, they should be encouraged to use adequately iodized salt.