Patterns of Urinary Iodine Excretion in Goitrous and Nongoitrous Areas

An analysis has been made of the distribution patterns of iodine concentration and creatinine content in the urine of 1,965 civilians and 479 military personnel at a total of eight-one sites in Thailand, Burma, Malaya, Lebanon, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Jamaica and Washington, D.C. The patterns of excretion have been grouped into five main categories. Goiter prevalence in children of these groups has been presented. An analysis of various areas with respect to iodine excretion patterns provides pertinent information concerning the presence of definitely adequate or definitely inadequate iodine nutriture. The intermediate group, which comprises a little over half the total sample, presents difficult problems of interpretation.