Abstract
The prevalence of the endemic goiter is a serious problem of Public Health, being present in 118 countries around the world. Objective: To assess the urinary iodine level in schoolchildren of a municipal district of Paraiba, and the levels of iodine concentration in the salt and in the water consumed by them. Materials and Methods: An assessment was made of 180 schoolchildren between the ages of 9 and 14 years old, attending public schools in Cabaceiras, PB, Brazil. The iodine level in the children's urine was dosed by the Rapid Urinary Iodine Test(R), and of the iodine level in the salt and in the water consumed was dosed in the laboratory do CEFETRN. Results: Sixty schoolchildren (33.3%) presented urinary iodine below 100 mu g/l.; in relation to the salt just a (16.6%) it marks, of the appraised six, it presented concentration below recommended by ANVISA (11.11 mg/kg), and it is second more consumed by the schoolchildren (18%). Of the four sources of water observed, the iodine was undetectable in two of them (50%). Conclusions: Therefore, the consumption of those schoolchildren iodine is deficient. Some of the other extensive semi-arid areas of Brazil, where the problem has been neglected, could present this similar picture.