More than 50 percent of Taiwanese fail to consume sufficient amounts of iodine, which could lead to a slow metabolism, weight gain, fatigue and thyroid goiter, a study published by the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) yesterday showed.
The research, which analyzed the urine of 1,185 individuals aged six and older, found that the country’s median urinary iodine levels stood at 96 micrograms per liter (μg/L) and that the urinary iodine concentrations of about 51.9 percent of the participants were below the minimal concentration of 100μg/L set by the WHO.
“Iodine is an essential mineral for thyroid function, which is responsible for the secretion of thyroid hormones that can stimulate metabolism and tissue growth. The lack of it could cause weight gain and goiter, and even impede young children’s mental development,” HPA Community Health Division interim director Chen Miao-hsin (陳妙心) said.
Chen said the insufficient consumption of iodine is often caused by people’s inability to get enough iodine from their diets, forcing them to rely on other sources.
Salt iodization was mandatory until 2004, when the nation lifted its salt import ban and moved toward voluntary salt iodization, which could be one of the reasons behind Taiwanese’s low iodine intake, Chen said.
“Adults aged 19 or older are recommended to consume 140 micrograms of iodine [per day], an amount that can easily be reached by eating five grams of salt containing iodine content at a level of 20 parts per million,” Chen said.
In addition to opting for iodized salt, Chen also encouraged people to increase their consumption of iodine-rich foods, such as seaweed, sea sedge, fish and shellfish.
However, as the iodine in salt and natural foods can be lost during cooking, people are urged to avoid pan-frying, boiling and deep-frying the foods for too long, ideally steaming them before putting iodized salt on top.
However, people with iodide goiter or who are undergoing radiotherapy with radioactive iodine-131 for certain thyroid diseases should choose non-iodized salt and refrain from eating too much iodine-rich foods, she added.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
1.4nm WAFERS: While TSMC is gearing up to expand its overseas production, it would also continue to invest in Taiwan, company chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has applied for permission to construct a new plant in the Central Taiwan Science Park (中部科學園區), which it would use for the production of new high-speed wafers, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council, which supervises three major science parks in Taiwan, confirmed that the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau had received an application on Friday from TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, to commence work on the new A14 fab. A14 technology, a 1.4 nanometer (nm) process, is designed to drive artificial intelligence transformation by enabling faster computing and greater power
RSS