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NNC1 joins the 2022 Goiter Awareness Week Celebs

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Category: Region 1

GAW

The National Nutrition Council Region 1 joins the nation in the celebration of the Goiter Awareness Week (GAW) with the theme: “Leeg ay Tutukan, Goiter ay Lunasan” from January 24 to 30, 2022.

The Goiter Awareness Week is observed every fourth week of January by the virtue of the Presidential Proclamation No. 1188 signed on December 11, 2006, to boost public awareness on the prevention of Goiter and other Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).

Region 1 being a salt producing region supplies table salts not only for Region 1 constituents but for nearby regions and the country as a whole.

The Regional Bantay ASIN Task Force (RBATF) of Region 1 chaired by the DOH committed to intensify its advocacy and promotion on the use of iodized salt and its monitoring on the compliance to ASIN Law as it is always a challenge to ensure that all salts distributed and being sold in the markets and retail stores are adequately iodized salts.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Region I also scaled-up its effort in reaching the producers and manufacturers to comply with the regulatory requirements and ensure standardized procedures for salt iodization.

Iodine Deficiency is still a problem in the country especially in the elderly, lactating women, and pregnant women based on the result of the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey done by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of DOST. Lack of Iodine may cause goiter, neurodevelopmental deficits and growth retardation in fetus, miscarriage and stillbirth, mental retardation, and cretinism.

While the data is concerning, we still have ways on combating the said deficiency by:

  • Consuming Iodine rich foods like tuna, shrimps, seaweeds, and other seafood.
  • The purchase of Iodized salt with the Sangkap Pinoy Seal.
  • The proper usage of iodized salt in cooking like adding the salt in the last part of cooking and storage of salt in a dark container and away from sunlight to prevent the evaporation of the iodine content.
  • Lessen the intake of foods that cause low absorption of iodine by the thyroid.

Be smart in choosing your foods. Using iodized salt is a practical way of preventing goiter and IDD. Kumainment No. 7: Gumamit ng Iodized Salt aims for a massive campaign for the utilization of iodized salt in every household. /RJW