Italy is dealing with iodine deficiency since ancient times. Indeed, iodine deficiency disorders, specifically goiter and cretinism, have been reported in some regions of Northern Italy already in the first century AD. However, a clear relationship between endemic goiter and endemic cretinism was recognized only in 1848 by an "ad hoc" committee appointed by the king of Sardinia, which identified extensive areas afflicted by these disorders in Piedmont, Liguria and Sardinia. With the identification in the early 20th century of iodine deficiency as the cause of endemic goiter1 many epidemiological studies were conducted in Italy. These showed that iodine deficiency was present not only in mountain areas but also in coastal areas. Thereafter, local and transient iodine prophylaxis programs were implemented in some areas of the country between the 1970s and the 1990s. In 1972 the iodization of salt at 15 mg/kg was allowed by law and iodized salt was distributed on request to selected endemic areas. Five years later the distribution of iodized salt was extended to the whole country. However the sale of iodized salt was not mandatory and only a very small fraction of the Italian population used iodized salt. Only the autonomous Province of Bolzano (Fig.1) implemented a local program of iodine prophylaxis in 1981. In 1991 the amount of iodine in the salt was raised from 15 to 30 mg/kg by a Public Ministry Decree and potassium iodate in addition or in substitution of potassium iodide was introduced. In 2005 a nationwide program of iodine prophylaxis on voluntary basis was finally implemented in our country.
The way forward in Italy for iodine
DI COSMO, C.;VITTI, P.
;GASPERI, M.Membro del Collaboration Group
;TONACCHERA, M.Membro del Collaboration Group
2017-01-01
Abstract
Italy is dealing with iodine deficiency since ancient times. Indeed, iodine deficiency disorders, specifically goiter and cretinism, have been reported in some regions of Northern Italy already in the first century AD. However, a clear relationship between endemic goiter and endemic cretinism was recognized only in 1848 by an "ad hoc" committee appointed by the king of Sardinia, which identified extensive areas afflicted by these disorders in Piedmont, Liguria and Sardinia. With the identification in the early 20th century of iodine deficiency as the cause of endemic goiter1 many epidemiological studies were conducted in Italy. These showed that iodine deficiency was present not only in mountain areas but also in coastal areas. Thereafter, local and transient iodine prophylaxis programs were implemented in some areas of the country between the 1970s and the 1990s. In 1972 the iodization of salt at 15 mg/kg was allowed by law and iodized salt was distributed on request to selected endemic areas. Five years later the distribution of iodized salt was extended to the whole country. However the sale of iodized salt was not mandatory and only a very small fraction of the Italian population used iodized salt. Only the autonomous Province of Bolzano (Fig.1) implemented a local program of iodine prophylaxis in 1981. In 1991 the amount of iodine in the salt was raised from 15 to 30 mg/kg by a Public Ministry Decree and potassium iodate in addition or in substitution of potassium iodide was introduced. In 2005 a nationwide program of iodine prophylaxis on voluntary basis was finally implemented in our country.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
