Research Article
Salt Used for the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) in Rural Schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa, has Adequate Levels of Iodine
Table 5
Iodine nutrition knowledge test.
| Description of questions | Mopani District | Vhembe District | N | % | N | % |
| What is iodine? | | | | | Vitamin | 65 | 32.5 | 19 | 11.9 | Micronutrient/mineral | 58 | 29 | 50 | 31.5 | Something in the food that we eat | 4 | 2 | 13 | 8.2 | Other (medicine, potion, etc.) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Do not know | 71 | 35.5 | 77 | 48.4 |
| Main source of iodine | Iodised salt/iodated salt | 12 | 6 | 73 | 45.9 | Fish/sea food/marine food products | 60 | 30 | 29 | 18.2 | Vegetables | 25 | 12.5 | 12 | 7.5 | Meat or meat products | 25 | 12.5 | 6 | 3.7 | Dairy products | 5 | 2.5 | 4 | 2.5 | Drinking water | 13 | 6.5 | 3 | 1.5 | Other | 22 | 11 | 1 | 0.6 | Do not know | 14 | 7 | 11 | 6.9 | Do not know what iodine is | 24 | 12 | 20 | 12.5 |
| Part of the body that needs iodine | Liver | 42 | 21 | 47 | 29.6 | Thyroid gland/gland in the front of the neck | 40 | 20 | 24 | 15.1 | Lungs | 24 | 12 | 30 | 18.9 | Do not know | 94 | 47 | 58 | 36.5 |
| Most harmful effect on health of children if they do not get enough iodine | Slow growth | 59 | 29.5 | 59 | 37.1 | Goitre/enlarged thyroid gland/swollen neck | 22 | 11 | 22 | 13.8 | Brain damage or underdevelopment of the brain/low intelligence | 7 | 3.5 | 17 | 9.4 | Cretinism | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.6 | Hypothyroidism | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.6 | Death | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.6 | Diabetes mellitus | 7 | 3.5 | 4 | 2.5 | Do not know | 74 | 37 | 29 | 18.2 | Do not know what is iodine | 26 | 13 | 25 | 15.7 | Hypertension | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.3 |
| Do you read labelling on the food package to check salt content? | Yes | 56 | 28 | 48 | 30.2 | No | 108 | 54 | 85 | 53.5 | Cannot read | 12 | 6 | 2 | 1.3 | Do not know what iodine is | 24 | 12 | 24 | 15.1 |
| What is the daily recommendation of iodine for school-attending children? | 120 µg/L | 101 | 50.5 | 75 | 47.2 | 150 µg/L | 18 | 9 | 14 | 8.8 | 220 µg/L | 2 | 15 | 2 | 1.3 | Do not know | 79 | 39.5 | 68 | 42.8 |
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