Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) on the nutritional status of women of childbearing age, during pregnancy and lactation with respect to adequate iodine intake

• Published in: Food Risk Assess Europe 2023-09, Vol.1 (2), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Lesmes, Irene Bretón, Perales, Araceli Díaz, Izquierdo, Ángel Gil, Carmen Recio Iglesias, María, Ballester, Lluís Vila, Chillerón, María Ángeles Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breastfeeding & lactation; childbearing age; deficiency; Food safety; Iodine; iodized salt; lactation; Nutrition; Nutritional status; Pregnancy; woman; Womens health
• ISSN: 2940-1399; 2940-1399
• DOI: 10.2903/fr.efsa.2023.FR-0013

Iodine is an essential element involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, being essential for pre‐ and postnatal brain development and for cellular metabolism throughout life. On the other hand, iodine deficiency is one of the most easily preventable public health problems affecting the largest number of people in the world. The spectrum of deficit disorders is very broad, results in clinical symptoms of varying severity, and can lead to impaired brain function and development in the fetus and/or child. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that it is the major cause of preventable mental impairment. Therefore, adequate iodine nutrition is necessary, which is especially important in childhood, during pregnancy and lactation and in women of childbearing age who may want a pregnancy. The most important sources of iodine are iodized salt, dairy products and fish. Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy and lactation, and the risk of deficiency increases, especially in women who do not consume iodized salt. The nutritional status of iodine in Spain is, in general, adequate; however, this situation may be due to the use of supplementation with drugs or food supplements that provide iodine, so it is necessary to evaluate the contribution through natural foods or iodized salt in our population. In this context, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has carried out a review of the existing evidence on the nutritional status of iodine in our environment in women of childbearing age, pregnancy and lactation and the situations that may cause a higher risk of deficiency or toxicity.