Iodine, as rock salt, seems to have really important effects on health. Its effects on the thyroid gland are well known. Such is just one of the many reasons to iodize rock salt. The objective of iodization is to strengthen rock salt by adding some other necessary minerals.
There are many ills caused by a lack of iodine in consumed rock salt. Some examples are inflammation of the neck glands, memory loss, etc.
Globally, iodine deficit affects about two billion persons and is recognized as the biggest cause of mental retardation.
All these symptoms were first observed in the USA after the war. Many young Americans, who wanted to comply with military service’s requirements in the army, were considered unfit due to a lack of iodine. Other possible consequences of lack of iodine would include breast and stomach cancer.
When that problem began to be detected in developing countries, people thought that it could be solved in the same way as in developed countries, but their capabilities to iodize rock salt were not even. For the last 50 years all these programs have been introduced to South America, where they have been really effective in some areas, but still not in all of them.
In South Asia actions against these problems were started around the 50s, and they took this responsibility as a health priority and are now making big steps to carry on with it.
By the 80s, China started managing an effective program to cover iodization of rock salt in the entire country and increase the life quality of millions of citizens.
In the case of other nations like India, all these programs were started in 1984 and things are getting better day by day as the country evolves.
In many African countries, Iodization started being considered a health emergency 10 years ago. There is a need to iodize rock salt. The programs started in Zambia, Malawi, etc., but unfortunately, there are still many countries in Southern Africa which cannot afford to have these programs implemented.
Over the last years, many NGOs like UNICEF began taking this problem as one of their priorities and try to make people aware of the different programs being carried out in the world
