Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) affect all age groups [1]. In India, 263 districts are endemic for IDD [2]. Apart from goiter, WHO has also recommended the Median Urinary Iodine Excretion (MUIE) in school children as the main indicator for assessing IDD [3]. Very few studies have been carried out in the Aligarh for assessment of IDD. In view of this, a study was planned to find out the Goiter prevalence in school children aged 6–12 years in Aligarh, to determine MUIE in children, and to assess the level of iodine in salt samples at household levels.

The EPI-30 cluster sampling method as recommended by WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD was followed [3]. The study was done in field practice areas of Department of Community Medicine, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh. The study spanned over a period of one year in 2012. A sample size of 790 was selected assuming goiter prevalence of 30.2% (as seen previously in Aligarh) at confidence level of 95%, margin of error at 15%, and design effect of 2 [4]. Twenty seven students of each school were studied using random sampling. On-spot urine samples were collected from 132 children using systematic random sampling. Samples were tested in Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, AIIMS, New Delhi. UIE levels were analyzed using wet digestion method of the Sandell-Kolthoff [5]. One hundred twenty-one salt samples were checked in school with a MIB kit provided by UNICEF, and iodine concentration was recorded as 0, <15 and ³15 ppm [3].

Only 40 children were having Grade I goiter (thyroid palpable but not visible) giving prevalence rate of 5.2%. Not a single student had Grade 2 goiter (thyroid visible with neck in normal position). The prevalence of goiter was significantly higher in females than in males (6.9% vs 3.4%) and higher in 10- to 12-year-old children than in younger children (Web Table I). The MUIE was 150 µg/L. The proportion of students having normal range of UIE (³100 µg/l) was 77.5%. 22.5% of students had biochemical iodine deficiency (<100 µg/L) (Web Table II) [3].

Only 50.4% households were consuming adequately iodized salt (³15 ppm). Nearly 55% of households consume powdered salt, rest consumed crystalline salt. 91% samples of the powdered salt had adequate iodine (³15 ppm) while iodine level was nil in all samples of crystalline salt.

Our result is similar to goiter prevalence of 4.78% reported by Toteja, et al. [6] in 15 districts of 10 states . Like NFHS-3, higher goiter prevalence was observed in girls and older children [7]. The MUIC was 150 µg/L suggesting adequate iodine intake (>100 µg/L) [3]. Studies elsewhere have also shown similar results [8,9]. A recent study done by Kapil, et al. [10] had shown that in India 86% of districts had a MUIC above 100 µg/L.

Only 50.4% households were consuming adequately iodized salt (³15 ppm), similar NFHS-3 data [10].