The success of salt iodisation

A shortage of iodine in a diet can cause cretinism, mental retardation and premature birth. These iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) can be eliminated by adding iodine to cooking salt.

Partnerships between governments and the salt industry have been one of the key factors in eliminating IDD. In many countries, the salt industry has taken up the cost of adding iodine to salt as part of their business.

• 70 percent of the world population is now protected from losses of learning ability due to iodine deficiency, a huge jump from 20 percent in early 1990s.
• At least 72 developing countries have adopted national public-private coalitions with the salt industry, which provides practical and effective mechanisms to raise and sustain commitments to iodine deficiency elimination. As a result, 34 countries have now eliminated iodine deficiency.

Economists at the Copenhagen Consensus in 2004 concluded that the benefits-costs ratio for iodine interventions can be as high as 520 – a cost between US$0.25 and US$5.0 can have benefits valued between US$70 and US$130. This is one of the highest among interventions related to combating hunger and undernutrition.