page_title: Iodised salt
section_title: In public health initiatives
hierarchical_section_title: Iodised salt / In public health initiatives
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Umgekippter Salzstreuer, der Jodsalz mit Fluor und Folsäure enthält. Die Folsäure gibt dem Salz eine leicht gelbliche Farbe. English: Iodised salt with folic acid and fluorine. The folic acid gives a light yellow colour to the salt. Français&#160;: Du sel iodé avec de la vitamine B9 et du fluor. La vitamine B9 donne une coleur jaune au sel. Español: Sal yodada con flúor y ácido fólico. La sal tiene un color amarillo por el ácido fólico. Svenska: Jodsalt med folsyra och fluor. Folsyran ger en liten gul färg åt saltet.
context_page_description: Iodised salt is table salt mixed with a minute amount of various salts of the element iodine. The ingestion of iodine prevents iodine deficiency. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects about two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Deficiency also causes thyroid gland problems, including "endemic goitre". In many countries, iodine deficiency is a major public health problem that can be cheaply addressed by purposely adding small amounts of iodine to the sodium chloride salt.
  Iodine is a micronutrient and dietary mineral that is naturally present in the food supply in some regions, especially near sea coasts, but is generally quite rare in the Earth's crust, since iodine is a so-called heavy element, and abundance of chemical elements generally declines with greater atomic mass. Where natural levels of iodine in the soil are low and the iodine is not taken up by vegetables, iodine added to salt provides the small but essential amount of iodine needed by humans.
context_section_description: Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to public health experts, iodisation of salt may be the world's simplest and most cost-effective measure available to improve health, only costing US$0.05 per person per year. At the World Summit for Children in
  1990, a goal was set to eliminate iodine deficiency by 2000. At that time, 25% of households consumed iodised salt, a proportion that increased to 66% by 2006.
  Salt producers are often, although not always, supportive of government initiatives to iodise edible salt supplies. Opposition to iodisation comes from small salt producers who are concerned about the added expense, private makers of iodine pills, concerns about promoting salt intake, and unfounded rumours that iodisation causes AIDS or other illnesses.
  The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends 150 micrograms (0.15 mg) of iodine per day for both men and women.
caption: Iodised salt with folic acid and fluorine. The folic acid gives a light yellow colour to the salt.
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