Iodine status and associations with feeding practices and psychomotor milestone development in six‐month‐old South African infants

Bibliographic Data

ID15535645
AuthorsJennifer Osei (0000-0002-4327-1148, North-West University, corresponding author), Jeannine Baumgartner (0000-0002-9107-4181, North-West University), Marinel Rothman (0000-0002-9107-3373, North-West University), Tonderayi M Matsungo (0000-0001-9836-7780, North-West University), Namukolo Covic (0000-0001-6566-9803, International Food Policy Research Institute), Mieke Faber (0000-0002-8878-254X, South African Medical Research Council), Cornelius M Smuts (0000-0003-4829-0054, North-West University)
Year2016
Volume13
Issue4
Publication date2016-12-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMaternal and Child Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1740-8695 • E-ISSN: 1740-8709
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/mcn.12408
PMID28028913
OpenAlexW2562847957
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited40

Iodine is important for normal growth and psychomotor development. While infants below 6 months of age receive iodine from breast milk or fortified infant formula, the introduction of complementary foods poses a serious risk for deteriorating iodine status. This cross-sectional analysis assessed the iodine status of six-month-old South African infants and explored its associations with feeding practices and psychomotor milestone development. Iodine concentrations were measured in infant (n = 386) and maternal (n = 371) urine (urinary iodine concentration [UIC]), and in breast milk (n = 257 [breast milk iodine concentrations]). Feeding practices and psychomotor milestone development were assessed in all infants. The median (25th-75th percentile) UIC in infants was 345 (213-596) μg/L and was significantly lower in stunted (302 [195-504] μg/L) than non-stunted (366 [225-641] μg/L) infants. Only 6.7% of infants were deficient. Maternal UIC (128 [81-216] μg/L; r s = 0.218, p s = 0.447, p < 0.0001) were associated with infant UIC. Most infants (72%) were breastfed and tended to have higher UIC than non-breastfed infants (p = 0.074). Almost all infants (95%) consumed semi-solid or solid foods, with commercial infant cereals (60%) and jarred infant foods (20%) being the most common solid foods first introduced. Infants who reported to consume commercial infant cereals ≥4 days weekly had significantly higher UIC (372 [225-637] μg/L) than those reported to consume commercial infant cereals seldom or never (308 [200-517] μg/L; p = 0.023). No associations between infant UIC and psychomotor developmental scores were observed. Our results suggest that iodine intake in the studied six-month-old infants was adequate. Iodine in breast milk and commercial infant cereals potentially contributed to this adequate intake

Breast feeding · Breast milk · Breastfeeding · Infant formula · Iodine · Iodine deficiency · Milestone · Psychomotor learning · Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Medicine · Neonatal Health and Biochemistry · Thyroid Disorders and Treatments · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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