Estimation of salt iodine in Pondicherry District.

A cross sectional survey was conducted in 2005 among 358 school children from 8 communities in the district of Pondicherry to assess the iodine content of salt at consumer level. School children were asked to bring salt consumed at their houses and 290 salt samples could finally be analysed. Only 26.2% of the population in the district were found to consume salt with more than 15 ppm iodine. Consumption of non-iodised salt was more in rural areas (96.4%) as compared to urban areas (71.3%). 39 salt samples from different retail shops in Pondicherry showed a mean value of 35.6+/-10.7 ppm.