Guidance on the monitoring of salt iodization programmes and determination of population iodine status: Russian language version

Over the last two decades, there has been remarkable progress towards eliminating iodine deficiency (ID). While there has been remarkable success, there have been several notable changes in the way that salt iodization programs have been designed and monitored, as well as the general landscape in which salt iodization is being implemented. This article is based on the “Guidance on the monitoring of salt iodization programmes and determination of population iodine status”. It summarizes important lessons learned on how to better track the performance of and refine salt iodization programs. The adequacy of iodine intakes should be examined among different subsets of the population (not only school-aged children), especially among groups vulnerable to deficiency (such as pregnant women). The acceptable range of ‘adequate’ iodine intake among school-age children can be widened from 100–199 µg/L to 100–299 µg/L eliminating the range of 200–299 µg/L that previously indicates ‘more than adequate’ iodine intake. The interpretation of mUIC of ≥ 300 µg/L as ‘excessive iodine intake’ remains unchanged. With currently available methods, the mUIC can only be used to define population iodine status and not to quantify the proportion of the population with iodine deficiency or iodine excess. National salt iodization programmes should monitor the use of iodized salt in processed foods. If the salt contained in such foods is well iodized, it can be an important source of iodine and may help explain iodine sufficiency in settings where household iodized salt coverage is low.