Tag: Salt iodization

Unlike many countries with mandated salt fortification programs, the UK has never introduced a formal policy to iodize salt. This unique public health approach stems from an "accidental" success story involving the dairy industry, which is a key reason salt is not iodized in the UK.

Worldwide, approximately 89% of people now consume adequately iodized salt, a direct result of decades of global health efforts. The universal salt iodization program is a public health strategy designed to fortify all food-grade salt with iodine to combat iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs), one of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies. This simple, inexpensive intervention has protected millions of people from severe health consequences.

Iodine is an essential trace mineral for human health, crucial for thyroid function and brain development. Before iodized salt was introduced globally in the 20th century to combat widespread deficiency, humans relied on diverse and often geographically specific natural sources for their iodine intake.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), roughly two billion people globally have insufficient iodine intake, making iodine deficiency a persistent and significant public health concern. Understanding which countries are iodine deficient is crucial for directing resources toward vulnerable populations and implementing effective preventative measures.

According to a recent report by WHO/Europe, the continent has the lowest coverage of salt iodization of any global region, signifying a continued public health challenge. This makes understanding the reality of, **Does salt in Europe have iodine?**, a crucial component of navigating nutrition in the modern European diet.