Current Iodine Status in Europe and Türkiye in the Light of the World Health Organization European Region 2024 Report: Are We Losing Our Achievements?

Abstract
Iodine is a vital micronutrient and an essential component of the thyroid hormones. Iodine deficiency (ID) causes a wide range of conditions called iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs), consisting of diverse presentations in different age groups. Adequate iodine nutrition is especially important for women during pregnancy and lactation since iodine has a crucial role in the neurodevelopment of the fetus. Iodine deficiency has been cited as the leading preventable cause of mental impairment worldwide. The impacts of ID have imposed enormous, preventable resource costs on healthcare systems globally, which has made it one of the most serious public health problems across the world in the past decades. Several public health programs have been established to combat IDD. Universal salt iodization has been the mainstay of those programs, resulting in a striking decrease in severe ID globally. Nevertheless, mild ID, especially in pregnancy and early life, remains a public health concern in many parts of the world including European countries and Türkiye. Progress toward optimal iodine nutrition worldwide requires sustained efforts, continuous reinforcement, monitoring, and dedication, especially from policymakers and public health workers. In the absence of these measures, the achievements made over a century could be lost in a short period of time.

Cite this article as: Tan Öksüz SB, Erdoğan MF. Current iodine status in Europe and Türkiye in the light of the World Health Organization European region 2024 report: are we losing our achievements?. Endocrinol Res Pract. Published online February 6, 2025. doi 10.5152/erp.2025.24594