It leads to stillbirths and infant deaths. The disorders resulting from iodine deficiency are a global problem. They threaten an estimated 1.5 billion people in at least 110 countries. Half of these people are children. Adequate amounts of this micronutrient are found in seafood and food grown in iodine-sufficient soil.
Iodine deficiency is most common in mountainous regions and areas prone to frequent flooding.
All of the effects of iodine deficiency can be prevented. In fact, iodine deficiency is the most prevalent, preventable cause of impaired intellectual development and motor function in the world today. Iodized salt is a simple, yet effective means of helping to eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders. One salt installation can produce enough iodized salt for up to one million people for generations to come. Iodizing salt is the cheapest and most sustainable way of eliminating Iodine Deficiency Disorders.