Analysis:
I iodine deficiency and its causes
We know that food is the main source of iodine in the body. If the soil in our living environment contains less iodine, so do the plants growing on this soil, and all kinds of animals (such as sheep, cattle, dogs and rabbits) who eat low-iodine feed will also suffer from iodine deficiency. Therefore, the iodine nutritional status of the body is closely related to the environment. If you eat food and meat with low iodine content for a long time, iodine deficiency will occur, and your body will be affected to some extent, and everyone, especially children and women, will not be spared. Although most people seem to be "normal", only some people will show obvious pathological conditions-endemic goiter and endemic cretinism. But in fact, this "normality" is a hidden pathological state. Scientists call iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) all the adverse effects (pathological state) caused by iodine deficiency on human physical and intellectual development.
Iodine deficiency is one of the oldest human diseases. In the 7th century BC, there were written records in China, saying that people should be ill. Ge Hong of Jin Dynasty first proposed to treat endemic goiter (an iodine deficiency) with seaweed and kelp. It was not until the twentieth century that people generally realized that iodine could be used to prevent iodine deficiency disorders and achieved success.
Second, the harm of iodine deficiency
Iodine deficiency is a serious hazard to human health. The main manifestations of iodine deficiency disorders are:
Damage to children's brain nerve development, manifested in different degrees of mental retardation, low learning ability.
Endemic goiter, commonly known as thick neck root or big neck disease; Severe iodine deficiency can lead to endemic cretinism. It is deaf, dumb, dull and stupid.
It leads to the death, deformity, deafness or miscarriage and premature birth of the fetus growing in the mother's stomach.
Adult's physical strength and labor ability decline, and children's growth and development are affected.
In addition, iodine deficiency significantly affects the growth, reproduction and productivity of livestock, reducing the output and quality of meat, eggs and milk.
Scientists have found that women are more prone to iodine deficiency than men. Children and adolescents grow and develop faster, and their bodies need more iodine. Adolescent girls and pregnant women need iodine more for physiological reasons, so they are very sensitive to iodine deficiency.
Iodine deficiency is harmful to human health.
Iodine deficiency threatens 3/kloc-0 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government in China, and about 727 million people are threatened by iodine deficiency, accounting for almost half (46%) of the population in all iodine-deficient areas in the world. Not only the vast rural areas are seriously threatened by iodine deficiency, but also the key areas for the prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders, and all large, medium and small cities have not escaped the trouble of iodine deficiency disorders.
Iodine deficiency is also a worldwide problem. There are 1 18 countries and regions in the world with iodine deficiency, and15.72 million people live in iodine-deficient areas, among which 655 million people suffer from endemic goiter,11200,000 people suffer from endemic cretinism, and 43 million people suffer from iodine deficiency to varying degrees.
Iodine deficiency disorders are like huge icebergs submerged in seawater. What we see is only a part of the water surface, and below the water surface is an invisible, huge number of people who are seemingly "normal" but have been hurt.
How do you know if you are iodine deficient or where you live?
If we live in an environment where there have been patients with "thick neck roots" in the past, why not give chlorocaffeine gifts to young dry trees? r？ What happened to the shell and sheath? Hey? You siqiao? Can't bear to lose weight, can't lose weight, can't lose weight, can't lose weight, can't correct your lips? Sparse letters?
The external environment includes soil and water. Because the iodine content in the water in the same area represents the iodine content in the soil, we can know the iodine level in the environment outside the area as long as we take water samples and submit them to the health and epidemic prevention department for testing.
Environmental iodine deficiency can be investigated from urine iodine and goiter:
1. Urine iodine: The iodine we excrete from urine every day can reflect the iodine nutrition level in the body. Eat more iodine, urine more iodine, eat less iodine, urine less iodine. So urine iodine is the most sensitive indicator to judge how much iodine we eat. If many urine tests find that there is iodine deficiency in human body, we should pay attention to it, otherwise we may suffer from iodine deficiency over time.
2. Goiter: After children's iodine deficiency lasts for 3-4 months, the thyroid gland will be obviously enlarged.
Children grow rapidly and need a lot of iodine, so children are the most sensitive people to iodine deficiency. The state stipulates that school-age children aged 8- 10 are the main target population for monitoring iodine deficiency disorders. By regularly checking how many children have goiter and how much iodine is contained in urine, we can judge the iodine deficiency of local people and provide reliable information for guiding prevention and treatment.
Endemic goiter and endemic cretinism-the most obvious manifestations of iodine deficiency.
Among the clinical symptoms of iodine deficiency disorders, goiter in the neck is the easiest to be identified, commonly known as "thick neck and big neck disease", that is, endemic goiter; The other is "idiot" or "minor illness", which is endemic cretinism. The patient showed obvious mental defects and typical dementia. They are short and even deaf.
The biggest harm of iodine deficiency-children's mental retardation
Iodine is the raw material for thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone, and it is a necessary nutrient for the normal development of brain tissue. Iodine deficiency affects the normal growth of human brain tissue. Whether it is mild iodine deficiency or severe iodine deficiency, it will affect brain development and damage intelligence.
First of all, the story of the king
People have long noticed that there is a connection between iodine deficiency and mental retardation. Legend has it that Napoleon, the famous French king, was reported that there was a special disease on the southern border of France (now the Swiss Alps), and many members of the family were often found to be stupid. The king wants to move the whole village to eradicate the disease. At this time, a dedicated young doctor, Guggenheim Beer, heard about it. He bravely established a local settlement and studied the disease carefully. He found that there were many patients in the mountains, but they disappeared after dropping to a certain height. Later, people realized that the higher the mountain, the more serious the soil was washed by rain, and the less iodine there was. It can be seen that there is a causal relationship between iodine deficiency in living environment and the occurrence of * * * patients.
Second, a smart brain cannot do without iodine.
Brain tissue development has precise timing, just like a train or an airplane, it runs according to a strict schedule and starts and ends on time. Generally speaking, this schedule starts with the baby in the mother's belly and lasts until the second birthday after birth. This period is called the critical period of brain development. In the critical period, the growth of brain nerve must rely on thyroid hormone. In order to produce enough thyroid hormones, the thyroid needs enough iodine. If there is any degree of iodine deficiency during this period, the brain will develop abnormally.
Is it ok to supplement iodine after the dangerous period? Scientists tell us that the brain whose development is affected can no longer reach the normal level. In other words, the problem of brain dysplasia caused by iodine deficiency in critical period is irreversible, and once it is formed, it will be regretted for life. Therefore, from the point of view that brain development is inseparable from iodine, iodine is an "intellectual element".
Three. Iodine deficiency and intelligence and IQ
As we all know, people usually use IQ to express their intelligence. The IQ of normal people is about 100, and the IQ of mentally retarded children is below 70. Iodine deficiency will damage children's intelligence.
Children with serious iodine deficiency have serious mental impairment and IQ below 50. Such children can't take care of themselves, need help from others, can't go to school, and have a short life span, which is medically called endemic cretinism.
Children with mild iodine deficiency have mild mental retardation, and their IQ is between 50 and 69. Before attending primary school, they are often considered as "normal children". After entering school, "normal children" gradually have intellectual problems, ranking in the bottom of academic performance, failing exams, repeating grades and even being difficult to graduate. Medically, the above symptoms caused by iodine deficiency are called subclinical cretinism.
Intelligence is the basic ability that we human beings must have in our study, work and life. In a society with low population knowledge, it is inconceivable that the cultural and economic level of the whole society can be improved. In areas with serious iodine deficiency, the whole village can't choose qualified accountants and tractors, or even soldiers to recruit, so the whole village is called "fool village". People often describe "the village of fools" as "the first generation is swollen (goiter), the second generation is stupid (cretinism), and the third generation takes root (population is gradually decreasing)". Children with mental retardation cannot take care of themselves and become a heavy burden for parents and society.
Therefore, whether from individuals, communities or the whole country, the biggest harm of iodine deficiency to human beings is the problem that affects brain development. Therefore, the complete elimination of iodine deficiency disorders is a major event to improve the quality of the population.
Fourth, the annual loss is 368,000 Newton.
Scientists have found that the average IQ of children born in iodine deficiency environment is at least one tenth lower than that of children in non-endemic areas, which is equivalent to 10 IQ points. Every year, 6 million newborns in China are born in iodine-deficient areas. According to this figure, the annual IQ loss is 60-70 million. Newton's IQ is 190 (IQ above 140 is called extraordinary intelligence). Therefore, the total IQ lost in the whole country in one year is roughly equivalent to a loss of 368,000 Newton.
The mental retardation caused by iodine deficiency is incurable.
Intellectual deficiency caused by iodine deficiency, like other intellectual deficiencies, is a manifestation of brain dysfunction, and it is difficult to reach the normal level. Mild mental retardation, if it can be found early and received special education, can make him reach the level of primary school graduation. Only after strict training can such patients improve their adaptability to life, master some simple labor skills and become "self-reliant workers". Long-term practical experience shows that it is impossible to restore the mental retardation of iodine deficiency patients to normal level through treatment.
How to prevent iodine deficiency disorders
The cause of iodine deficiency is very clear, which is caused by iodine deficiency. Prevention is the most important measure. As long as we eat iodized salt correctly, we can prevent iodine deficiency disorders. The most important targets for preventing iodine deficiency disorders are infants, children and women who are going to be mothers or breast-feed. As long as the iodine nutrition level of these people can meet the physiological needs, the intellectual development of the next generation can be basically guaranteed.
The most basic method of supplementing iodine is iodized salt. Other means such as iodized oil can only play an auxiliary role. As long as we can eat qualified iodized salt, we can ensure our iodine nutrition, and we don't need to eat any iodine-containing health care products and iodine-fortified foods.
Salt is a food that everyone must eat every day. Adding a certain amount of iodine to salt can ensure that everyone can eat a certain amount of iodine every day.
Iodized salt is the most important method to supplement iodine.
Iodine doping in salt will not change the original color and taste of salt, and there is no difference in appearance between iodized salt and non-iodized salt. This iodine supplement method is easy to popularize and persist for a long time, and it is a very effective method.
Iodized salt is not only the most important and basic means to prevent iodine deficiency disorders in China, but also in the world. The prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders with salt iodization began at the beginning of this century. Switzerland, the United States, Austria and other countries were the first countries to promote iodized salt. Canada and other countries have long required manufacturers to add iodine to all salt, and India and the United States are gradually implementing similar salt iodization plans. By the end of 1995, 82 countries in the world had promised to iodize salt.
Iodized salt is safe for normal people.
Is iodized salt harmful to normal people? Scientists have done a lot of research on the safe range of iodine intake when they put forward that salt iodization can prevent iodine deficiency disorders. From the experience of using iodized salt abroad, some developed countries have been implementing iodized salt for a long time, and no side effects caused by iodized salt on iodine-rich people have been found. Therefore, relevant international organizations have listed iodized salt as the main means to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders. The iodine content in iodized salt "will not bring any medical danger" to people with adequate iodine nutrition.
Problems needing attention in the use of iodized salt
Because iodine and other kindred elements are easy to volatilize in high temperature and humid environment, or when encountering acidic substances such as vinegar, families should pay attention to the following issues when purchasing, storing and using iodized salt:
1) Be sure to buy iodized salt packed in small plastic bags, printed with designated trademarks and labeled with iodized salt. Never buy smuggled salt or no (low) iodized salt at will.
2) Don't store it for too long, just eat it and buy it.
3) Put it in a covered brown glass bottle or porcelain jar and store it in a cool and dry place away from fire.
4) stir fry and make soup. Just put salt when it's almost cooked.
5) Don't fry iodized salt with oil.
6) I must use iodized salt to make pickles, not to wash iodized salt. In this way, even in winter, when we eat pickles, the whole family can get enough iodine.
It is illegal to sell non-iodized salt.
It is illegal to sell iodized salt (non-iodized salt). Because private salt is cheaper than iodized salt, some unscrupulous profiteers use private salt to lure residents and make huge profits at the expense of people's health. This should be resolutely * * * and investigated for responsibility according to law.
Don't pick sesame seeds and throw watermelons.
Iodized salt is the most basic method to prevent iodine deficiency disorders. For our health, we must urge families to buy iodized salt. The price of iodized salt is higher than that of private salt, and the difference between them can be made up by smoking less and drinking less. Iodized salt can prevent mental retardation of children and keep normal human function. We must eat iodized salt. Although smuggled salt is cheap and saves money, eating smuggled salt will make people lack iodine and even endanger their lives, which is not worth the candle.
How to distinguish between true and false iodized salt
Family inspection of true and false iodized salt can start with the outer packaging of salt. Qualified iodized salt approved by the salt industry management department has strict requirements on external packaging materials, and the instructions and labels on the packaging are very obvious, with complete and clear handwriting. Taking Beijing as an example, the packaging material of iodized salt is plastic composite film, with the words "iodized salt" in blue and "refined salt" in white. According to the national regulations, all iodized salt in China must be affixed with anti-counterfeiting "iodized salt signs". It is really difficult to identify, so you can go to the health and epidemic prevention department to solve it. They have special chemical reagents, and you can make a judgment by dropping a drop of medicine on the salt.
The symbol of iodized salt refers to the chemical symbol of iodine. The English lowercase letter "I" indicates a healthy person with the word "iodine" in his body. The square outside is the crystal structure of salt, and the words "food" and "salt" are printed diagonally.
Neon flashes around the human figure on the laser anti-counterfeiting logo, and there is an arc-shaped color flash point at the bottom of the square.