Food Science

Why is Iodine Intake Important? • Iodine is essential for hormone development in the thyroid - Metabolism control - Development of the brain • Leading cause of preventable intellectual diseases including mental retardation in children, stunted growth, and hearing problems. - One study has shown the low levels of iodine in pregnant women lessens a child’s OQ by as much as 10 to 15 points

Which Foods Contain Iodine?

Iodine Improves Cognitive Function in Children • Double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in New Zealand involving almost 200 10-13 year old children • Each child took a daily tablet but only some contained 150 micrograms of iodine, the others were placebos. • For 28 weeks, cognitive performance was tested using 4 subtests

Results of the Study • Iodine Supplementation improved scores for two of the four cognitive subtests • Perceptual reasoning was greatly improved through an increase in iodine consumption • Concern: mild iodine deficiencies can prevent kids from obtaining their full intellectual potential

Questions 1. True or False: Iodine can be found in milk 2. True or False: Iodine consumption has no significant role in a child’s intellectual ability