The regional office of the National Nutrition Council (NNC-7) appealed to the public to use iodized salt in adding flavor to their food in order to avoid contracting goiter.
At yesterday’s forum at the Philippine Information Agency, Dr. Parolita Mission, NNC’s regional nutrition program coordinator, said iodized salt helps prevent goiter, a condition marked by the enlargement of a person’s thyroid gland.
The disease is caused by iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) and it lowers a person’s mental and physical condition.
Dr. Marlon Co, president of the Cebu Medical Society, said iodine has Thyroxine and Triiodo-L-Thyronine and T-3 that produces thyroid hormones which better metabolizes fats.
Salt manufacturers are required by law under Republic Act 8175 or the Asin Law to put potassium iodate in their iodized salt to prevent iodine deficiency. The 30 to 70 parts per million of potassium iodate should be strictly followed by salt manufacturers lest their products are confiscated by the Regional Bantay Asin Task Force-7. To ensure that they buy only quality iodized salt, consumers should look for the Sangkap Pinoy Seal found in the container.
Mission said a 2011 Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) study showed that most IDD cases in Central Visayas involve pregnant and lactating women.