Roman Byst
Tue, Sep-28-04, 06:16
http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_-
item&id=278
Lisa Schlein, "Iodine Deficiency Disorders Plague Europe,
Central Asia, says UNICEF", Epoch Times, September 26, 2004,
Link: http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-9-26/23452.html
The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, says Iodine Deficiency
Disorders, which cause mental retardation, are a huge problem
in Europe and Central Asia. UNICEF says this disorder can be
solved for as little as five cents per person per year by
iodizing salt.
In this video clip, UNICEF's regional ambassador and 16-time
world chess champion, Anatoly Karpov, tells children they must
have iodine in their diet, if they want to be smart. He
repeats this message in a joking manner to a group of
journalists.
"I can answer you like a joke that I believe that, when we
solve the problem, every child will play chess," said Anatoly
Karpov. "I believe that this is extremely important, and this
is a problem we know how to solve. One of the few problems we
know how to solve."
Mr. Karpov comes from Russia, located in one of the regions of
the world most seriously affected by iodine deficiency.
UNICEF statistics show that more than half of the people
in Western and Central Europe live in iodine-deficient
countries. Surprisingly, some of the most developed
countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, France and Germany
suffer from a lack of iodine. However, the problem is most
severe in countries such as Russia and the Ukraine.
UNICEF says these two countries account for 1.3 million
newborn babies a year, who are not protected from iodine
deficiency. This out of five million iodine deficient babies
born in all of the region's 22 countries.
Ms. Karpov says the babies suffer because their mothers did
not include iodine in their diets when they were pregnant.
He says, unfortunately, the mental retardation that
results from iodine deficiency in the womb is not
reversible in later life.
"We believe that the cheapest, simplest and general message,
to avoid iodine deficiency, is to have general iodization of
salt," he said. "And, it does not cost too much. It is about
five cents per year, per person-very cheap."
Mt. Karpov says governments should pass legislation to
make iodized salt mandatory. He says, in countries
with such laws, iodine deficiency disorders have
decreased. He notes this can be seen even in poor
countries, such as Serbia-Montenegro,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia and Georgia.
UNICEF says governments often do not promote iodine in food
out of ignorance or widely-held misconceptions. For example,
it says India rescinded legislation on iodized salt under
pressure from consumer groups. It says these groups claimed
that iodine in salt causes a variety of health problems.
Tragically, it says, by eliminating iodine from the diet,
mental retardation among children in India, once again, is
on the rise.
item&id=278
Lisa Schlein, "Iodine Deficiency Disorders Plague Europe,
Central Asia, says UNICEF", Epoch Times, September 26, 2004,
Link: http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-9-26/23452.html
The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, says Iodine Deficiency
Disorders, which cause mental retardation, are a huge problem
in Europe and Central Asia. UNICEF says this disorder can be
solved for as little as five cents per person per year by
iodizing salt.
In this video clip, UNICEF's regional ambassador and 16-time
world chess champion, Anatoly Karpov, tells children they must
have iodine in their diet, if they want to be smart. He
repeats this message in a joking manner to a group of
journalists.
"I can answer you like a joke that I believe that, when we
solve the problem, every child will play chess," said Anatoly
Karpov. "I believe that this is extremely important, and this
is a problem we know how to solve. One of the few problems we
know how to solve."
Mr. Karpov comes from Russia, located in one of the regions of
the world most seriously affected by iodine deficiency.
UNICEF statistics show that more than half of the people
in Western and Central Europe live in iodine-deficient
countries. Surprisingly, some of the most developed
countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, France and Germany
suffer from a lack of iodine. However, the problem is most
severe in countries such as Russia and the Ukraine.
UNICEF says these two countries account for 1.3 million
newborn babies a year, who are not protected from iodine
deficiency. This out of five million iodine deficient babies
born in all of the region's 22 countries.
Ms. Karpov says the babies suffer because their mothers did
not include iodine in their diets when they were pregnant.
He says, unfortunately, the mental retardation that
results from iodine deficiency in the womb is not
reversible in later life.
"We believe that the cheapest, simplest and general message,
to avoid iodine deficiency, is to have general iodization of
salt," he said. "And, it does not cost too much. It is about
five cents per year, per person-very cheap."
Mt. Karpov says governments should pass legislation to
make iodized salt mandatory. He says, in countries
with such laws, iodine deficiency disorders have
decreased. He notes this can be seen even in poor
countries, such as Serbia-Montenegro,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia and Georgia.
UNICEF says governments often do not promote iodine in food
out of ignorance or widely-held misconceptions. For example,
it says India rescinded legislation on iodized salt under
pressure from consumer groups. It says these groups claimed
that iodine in salt causes a variety of health problems.
Tragically, it says, by eliminating iodine from the diet,
mental retardation among children in India, once again, is
on the rise.