Reserves for prevention of iodine deficiency diseases in children of st. Petersburg

Abstract

An assessment was made of the level of awareness of schoolchildren in St. Petersburg about the consequences for the body of iodine deficiency using an anonymous survey on a specially designed questionnaire. The survey involved 573 secondary school students aged 15 to 17 years, selected by random sampling on the basis of volunteerism. Lack of awareness among schoolchildren about the possibility and accessibility of methods for the prevention of iodine deficiency, a low proportion of regular consumption of iodized salt (23%), foods rich in iodine (38%) and iodine containing drugs (19%). A satisfactory level of prophylactic behavior, allowing to mitigate the effects of biosphere iodine deficiency, was found in only 35% of students. It was emphasized that in order to maintain the health of adolescents, it is necessary to strengthen the educational component of regional programs for the prevention of iodine deficiency diseases.