[Dietary iodine intake in children and clinical and biochemical features of iodine deficiency in chosen districts of south-east Poland].

The study on the effects of Czarnobyl accident on thyroid gland function in children (MZ XVII program) revealed a high incidence of goiter in the population of children in district Kraków and Nowy Sacz. Other study on Tarnobrzeg population showed that the frequency of goiter in school children was 67%. The goiter prevalence, urine iodine excretion and iodine food consumption in the same populations were compared. The detailed investigation of iodine intake in children by feeding questionnaire shows a low consumption of iodine. The urine iodine excretion in the population of Kraków-district was low, but higher than in Nowy Sacz-district and nearly normal in Tarnobrzeg. High frequency of goiter in children and of IDD in newborns screened for CH, as well as low urine iodine excretion, together with low iodine intake with food are the markers of iodine deficiency in Kraków and Nowy Sacz districts. The improvement of feeding as well as iodine salt supplementation is necessary. The situation in Tarnobrzeg district looks differently and needs additional study.