Persistence of severe iodine-deficiency disorders despite universal salt iodization in an iodine-deficient area in northern India.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of universal salt iodization (USI) on the prevalence of iodine deficiency in the population of an area previously known to have severe iodine deficiency in India.

Design: In a cross-sectional survey, a total of 2860 subjects residing in fifty-three villages of four sub-districts of Gonda District were examined for goitre and urinary iodine concentration. Free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were also measured.

Calcium deficiency-induced secondary hyperparathyroidism and osteopenia are rapidly reversible with calcium supplementation in growing rabbit pups.

The reversibility of osteopenia secondary to isolated Ca deficiency (CaDef) is still not clear. We studied the effect of severe CaDef on Ca homeostasis and bone accrual in a 'hypercalcaemic' animal, the rabbit, during the post-weaning period and its reversibility on Ca supplementation. Male Belgian 5-week-old rabbit pups were fed CaDef diet (0.

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women and their newborns in northern India.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in India, a finding that is unexpected in a tropical country with abundant sunshine. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has important implications for the newborn and infant. There are few data from India about the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in pregnancy and in the newborn.