A Sentinel Survey in Remote Western Thailand Indicates that School-Aged Children and Reproductive-Aged Women of the Indigenous Pwo Karen Community are Iodine Sufficient.

Indigenous peoples are often not routinely included in iodine programs because of language barriers and remote access, and may thus be at higher risk of iodine deficiency disorders, which could adversely impact their quality of life. We conducted this cross-sectional study in the remote Pwo Karen community of Thailand to determine the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of school-aged children (SAC) and women of reproductive age (WRA) and investigate the iodine content in household salt. We measured UIC in spot urine samples from healthy SAC and WRA, administered a questionnaire, estimated daily iodine intake and collected household salt samples to determine salt iodine concentration.

Malnutrition and disability: unexplored opportunities for collaboration.

There is increasing international interest in the links between malnutrition and disability: both are major global public health problems, both are key human rights concerns, and both are currently prominent within the global health agenda. In this review, interactions between the two fields are explored and it is argued that strengthening links would lead to important mutual benefits and synergies. At numerous points throughout the life-cycle, malnutrition can cause or contribute to an individual's physical, sensory, intellectual or mental health disability.