Volume 24, Issue 105, September - October, 2020

Assessment of dietary iodine intake for females of childbearing age from Amman, Jordan

Ahmad A. Obeidat^♦

Department of Clinical Nutrition, Collage of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Collage of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Saudi Arabia; Email: aobeidat@taibahu.edu.sa

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Jordan has one of the highest prevalence rates of hypothyroidism, and this condition is more prevalent in women and especially pregnant women. Iodine insufficiency during fetal development and childhood is associated with cognitive disturbances. The aim of this research study is to measure the daily consumption of dietary iodine in females of childbearing age in Amman City and determine how this consumption relates to sociodemographic characteristics. Subjects and Methods: A nonrandomized, crosssectional study was carried out in 802 females. The inclusion criteria were healthy pregnant and nonpregnant females of reproductive age from 18 to 45 years old living in Amman. Females with any chronic disease were excluded from the study. Iodine intake and sociodemographic characteristic were measured by validated questionnaires. Results: Optimum iodine adequacy was detected in only 9.6% of participants. The highest average dietary iodine intake (g/d) was from milk (36.4±36.5), followed by yoghurt (27.5±27.5), white fish (18.8±33.9), red fish (15.2±23.7), eggs (10.2±10.1), shrimp and oysters (9.9±22.7), nuts (9.2± 13), cheese and cheddar (7.8±7.3), meat (7.7±6.3), bread (5.6±4.5), apple juice (2.9±4.8), as well as fruits and vegetables (2.4±2.8). Findings showed that the average iodine intake was affected significantly (p<0.05) by pregnancy and smoking. Conclusion: Normal iodine status was detected in only 9.6% of participants. The highest average dietary iodine intake was from milk and the lowest from fruits and vegetables. Factors affecting average iodine intake in females of childbearing age in the Amman region were related to pregnancy and smoking. It is highly important to raise awareness of Jordanian women of childbearing age about their dietary iodine intake.

Keywords: Amman, childbearing age, iodine intake, women

Medical Science, 2020, 24(105), 2985-2992

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