Take a grain of salt but make sure it's iodized

In the run-up for the traditional Halloween, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with The STAR to bring “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Superheroes” in the Philippines. This will take place tomorrow from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Atrium of SM Megamall. Participants, especially children, are encouraged to come in their “grandest super costumes” for the grand assembly of UNICEF Superheroes.

The project aims to teach kids to think and care about other children. This partnership hopes to raise funds for the most disadvantaged Filipino children and similarly situated kids all over the world. Hence, the Trick -or-Treat for UNICEF Superheroes is calling upon all superheroes: “Let’s unite our powers to do good!” It’s also in celebration of National Children’s Month.

Tomoo Hozumi, the new UNICEF representative in the Philippines, signed the partnership agreement with our boss, Miguel G. Belmonte at The STAR editorial office last week. The UNICEF is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations.

Hozumi was very impassioned in discussing with us the UNICEF projects that directly benefit children. He particularly talked about UNICEF’s special project that seeks to wipe out the remaining incidence of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) that mostly afflict children, especially newborn babies.

While the worst cases of iodine deficiency can cause severe mental retardation such as cretinism, Hozumi cited, even mild iodine deficiency can result in a significant loss in learning ability and thus create difficulties for children.

Iodine is actually found in many foods. But because of environmental degradation and poor diet, UNICEF noted iodine deficiency became widespread among many populations in the world. It was necessary to add iodine to the diet. Salt was identified as the best medium for delivering iodine to target populations because most people have access and eat salt in small quantities every day, similar to the requirement for iodine intake.

In fact, Hozumi said, eliminating IDD through routine use of iodized salt is a key component of UNICEF’s mission to ensure that every child has the opportunity to survive, develop and achieve his/her developmental potential.   

Iodine is one of the micronutrients needed by the body to achieve optimum mental and physical development. Iodine deficiency is recognized around the world as one of the major public health/nutrition problems which can be addressed easily and economically, he pointed out.

Hozumi warned that a child or a person with inadequate iodine intake will have lower IQ, or intelligence quotient ranging from 10 to 15 IQ points. He could not remember though how much salt should be taken each day to avoid developing IDD. “Perhaps, I did not take much iodine today,” Hozumi wisecracked.

Over the years, Hozumi stressed the UNICEF has provided considerable assistance to countries like the Philippines to fund programs, including essential equipment and supplies for salt iodization and laboratories, technical support, staff development, and communication.

According to the UNICEF representative, their agency is helping the Philippines to strengthen the government’s National Salt Iodization Program (NSIP). This program came about with the passage into law of Republic Act No. 8172, “An Act promoting Salt Iodization Nationwide and Other Purposes,” otherwise known as the ASIN Law in December 1995.

The ASIN law in the Philippines requires that all food-grade salt for human or animal consumption be iodized. It also mandates all salt producers, importers and traders to iodize salt and make it available to all Filipinos.

The annual requirement for food grade salt in the Philippines is estimated by UNICEF at 330,000 metric tons. It is approximated that the country uses between 600,000 and 700,000 MT of salt per year for both food and non-food uses. Of these, 70 to 90 percent are imported, depending on the amount of local salt production. These come mostly from Australia and China. Two companies control 80 to 90 percent of importation. Major local salt production is limited to Pangasinan, Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro and Iloilo.

There are only four companies which control salt importation in the Philippines. The top four salt industry players (with 23 factories nationwide) are estimated to control at least 80 percent of the salt supply here. Based on a 2010 salt industry survey and industry knowledge, there are 425 salt producers/traders with significant operations nationwide.  

The other ill effects of iodine deficiency disorder include increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and goiter for women. Based on studies, Hozumi noted that 70 percent of pregnant women in the Philippines suffer IDD. It also worsens hypothyroidism like in the case of former President and now Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Speaking of Mrs. Arroyo, she was served anew with a warrant of arrest yesterday. This time from the Sandiganbayan for a non-bailable offense of plunder involving her purported marginal notes implicating her in the alleged misuse of P365.9 million intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The issuance of warrant of arrest against Mrs. Arroyo came a day after she filed her re-election bid in Congress.

The government earlier lost in the questioned warrant of arrest issued last year against Mrs. Arroyo’s electoral sabotage case. The Palace, for sure, hopes this time the ailing ex-President stays detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. They could only wish the government prosecutors who filed this plunder case against Mrs. Arroyo have no IDD ailment. 

But according to Hozumi, IDD is not incurable. Hozumi cited salt iodization is the most logical and effective solution to IDD because it is consumed by everyone. Too much salt though can cause hypertensive condition.

Hozumi said it is estimated that a person needs to consume only one teaspoon of salt in a year. That is like, he said, taking a grain of salt per day. But make sure it’s iodized, Einstein!