ABSTRACT. Insufficient iodine intake from food is the cause of iodine deficiency disorders and associated diseases.
The aim of the study is to characterize the state of iodine availability of the population and evaluate the measures taken to eliminate iodine deficiency.
Mild iodine deficiency disorders are common among all population groups in Russia. Iodine deficiency is considered resolved when at least 90% of households consume iodized salt, but in Russia this proportion is approximately 30%. The vast majority of countries with documented iodine deficiency have adopted salt iodization legislation. A meta-analysis of the results of mandatory salt fortification demonstrated a 74% reduction in goiter incidence. In Russia, work on a law on the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders has been underway for nearly a quarter of a century. Voluntary salt iodization and food fortification are being implemented at the initiative of manufacturers. Since 2020, SanPiN 2.3/2.4.3590-20 have been implemented in the Russian Federation, regulating the mandatory use of iodized salt for preparing meals in organized children's meals. Several studies have confirmed the effectiveness of this measure in increasing iodine intake and increasing iodouria. Due to insufficient knowledge about the role of adequate iodine supply in maintaining health, the population does not make an informed choice of iodized salt.
Conclusion. Iodine deficiency disorders are completely preventable only through population-wide prevention with iodized salt (its use in the diet, including in the food industry). In Russia, the main reason for the failure to eliminate iodine deficiency in the population's diet and associated diseases is the lack of a law on the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders. In the absence of a law on the universal iodization of table salt, it is advisable to use it in baking bread and bakery products and in the production of certain food concentrates to ensure greater population coverage. To raise awareness among various population groups about the consequences of iodine deficiency and increase motivation to use iodized salt in their diets, it is necessary to develop systematic educational programs for different age groups. The experience of using iodized salt in educational institutions should be expanded to other organized groups.
KEYWORDS: iodine, iodouria, iodine deficiency, iodized salt, food products, food fortification.
For citation: Risnik D.V., Kodentsova V.M. Iodine deficiency in Russia: a preventable, but not solved, problem. Trace elemets in medicine. 2026;27(1):312. DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2026-27-1-3-12
REFERENCES
Agaeva L.Z., Ammosova A.M., Stepanova L.A. Iodine deficiency and ways of prevention in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Vestnik Severo-Vostochnogo Federalnogo Universiteta imeni M.K. Ammosova. Seriya “Meditsinskie nauki”. 2022; (2): 26–38. (In Russian).
Alferova V.I., Mustafina S.V., Rymar O.D. Iodine status of the population in Russia and the world: what do we have for 2019? Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2019; 15(2): 73–82. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/ket10353.
Beketova N.A., Vrzhesinskaya O.A., Kosheleva O.V., Lebedeva U.M., Zhilinskaya N.V. Iodine and vitamin status, body composition in older persons living in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Problems of Nutrition. 2025; 94(5): 159–170. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.33029/0042-8833-2025-94-5-159-170.
Belykh N.A. Iodine-deficiency diseases: history and reality. Mizhnarodnyi Zhurnal Pediatrii, Akusherstva ta Hinekologii. 2018; 12(4): 6–14. (In Russian).
Volynkina AP, Troshina EA, Makolina NP, Samofalova OV, Babii NV. The assessment of iodine sufficiency in women in the first trimester of pregnancy living in areas of the Voronezh region with varying levels of iodine consumption. Problems of Endocrinology. 2025; 71(5): 4–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14341/probl13646.
Gerasimov G.A. Memories of the future. Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2019; 15(3): 90–95. (In Russian).
Gerasimov G.A. On WHO Guidelines “Fortification of food grade salt for the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders”. Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2014; 10(4): 5–8. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/ket201445-8.
Gerasimov G.A. The mystery of bouillon cubes. Comments to the article “Epidemiological studies of iodine deficiency in adolescents in Novosibirsk: data from a 15-year observation”. Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2025; 21(2): 11–13. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/ket12835.
Dedov I.I., Melnichenko G.A., Troshina E.A., Platonova N.M., Abdulkhabirova F.M., Shatnyuk L.N., Apanasenko B.P., Kavtaradze S.R., Arbuzova M.I., Dzhatoeva F.A. Iodine deficiency – a threat to the health and development of children in Russia. Ways of solving the problem: national report. Moscow: Detskiy fond OON (UNICEF) v RF; 2006. 124 p. (In Russian).
Duvayarova T.M., Balykova L.A., Ledyaykina L.V., Yamashkina E.I., Balykova O.P., Vereshchagina V.S., Chernova N.N., Esina M.V. Nutritional status and its association with physical development and health indicators in schoolchildren of the Republic of Mordovia. Medicine and Biotechnology. 2025; 1(4): 383–395. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.15507/3034-6231.001.202504.383-395.
Kodentsova V.M., Vrzhesinskaya O.A., Baturin A.K. Estimation of the maximal possible intake of iodine from iodized salt and mass-consumption bakery products made with its use. Trace Elements in Medicine. 2011; 12(3–4): 43–47. (In Russian).
Kodentsova V.M., Vrzhesinskaya O.A., Risnik D.V. The analysis of domestic and international policy of food fortification with trace elements and salt iodization. Trace Elements in Medicine. 2015; 16(4): 3–20. (In Russian).
Kodentsova V.M., Risnik D.V., Pavlovich S.V., Ladodo O.B. Optimization of the micronutrients sufficiency of feeding women and children on exclusively breastfeeding by enriching of the woman diet. Gynecology. 2021; 23(3): 222–230. DOI: 10.26442/20795696.2021.3.200875.
Kostyuchenko M.N., Tsyganova T.B., Shatnyuk L.N. A systematic approach to the enrichment of bakery products with iodine. Khlebopechenie Rossii. 2003; 1: 11–13; 2: 34–35. (In Russian).
Melnichenko G.A., Gerasimov G.A., Troshina E.A. What prevents passing the law about prevention of iodine deficiency disorders in the country with iodine deficiency? Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2019; 15(4): 162–168. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/ket12424.
Melnichenko G.A., Troshina E.A., Platonova N.M., Panfilova E.A., Rybakova A.A., Abdulkhabirova F.M., Bostanova F.A. Iodine deficiency thyroid disease in the Russian Federation: the current state of the problem. Analytical review of publications and official state statistics (Rosstat). Consilium Medicum. 2019; 21(4): 14–20. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.26442/20751753.2019.4.190337.
Menshchikova Yu.V., Vilms E.A., Turchaninov D.V., Kozubenko O.V., Brusentsova A.V., Turchaninova M.S., Yunatskaya T.A., Glagoleva O.N., Chubarova A.D. Hygienic assessment of the effectiveness of the Federal Project “Strengthening public health” in forming commitment to healthy nutrition among the adult population of the Omsk region in 2018–2023. Problems of Nutrition. 2025; 94(1): 71–81. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.33029/0042-8833-2025-94-1-71-81.
Mustafina S.V., Rymar O.D., Alferova V.I., Denisova D.V. Epidemiological studies of iodine deficiency in adolescents in Novosibirsk: data from a 15-year observation. Clinical and Experimental Thyroidology. 2025; 21(2): 4–10. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/ket12831.
Naletov A.V., Svistunova N.A., Masyuta D.I. Assessment of iodine provision in vegetarian children. Problems of Dietetics. 2023; 13(1): 17–20. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.20953/2224-5448-2023-1-17-20.
Risnik D.V., Kodentsova V.M., Orlova S.V., Nikitina E.A. Problems of micronutrient provision of children and their solutions in the CIS countries: a comparative aspect. Medical Alphabet. 2025; 1(19): 14–21. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.33667/2078-5631-2025-19-14-21.
Senkevich O.A., Kovalskiy Yu.G., Ryabtseva E.G., Pikalova V.M. Monitoring of iodine supply in the population of Khabarovsk. Dalnevostochnyy Meditsinskiy Zhurnal. 2018; (4): 32–37. (In Russian).
Suplotova L.A., Gerasimov G.A., Troshina E.A., Makarova O.B., Denisov P.M., Zaydulina A.S., Sharukho G.V. Assessment of iodine intake with iodized salt in organized nutrition of preschool and school-age children in the Tyumen region. Problems of Nutrition. 2023; 92(4): 29–37. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.33029/0042-8833-2023-92-4-29-37.
Troshina E.A. Elimination of iodine deficiency is a concern for the health of the nation. An excursion into history, scientific aspects and the current state of legal regulation of the problem in Russia. Problems of Endocrinology. 2022; 68(4): 4–12. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/probl13154.
Troshina E.A., Makolina N.P., Senyushkina E.S., Nikankina L.V., Malysheva N.M., Fetisova A.V. Iodine deficiency disorders: current state of the problem in the Bryansk region. Problems of Endocrinology. 2021; 67(4): 84–93. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.14341/probl12793.
Fedorenko E.V., Shulyakovskaya O.V., Voytenko S.I., Avsyankina I.O., Belysheva L.L., Kolomiets N.D. Hygienic assessment of iodine content in food products in the Republic of Belarus. Health and Environment. 2016; (26): 159–162. (In Russian).
Tsurkan A.A. Awareness of Different Population Groups in the Voronezh Region about Iodine Deficiency and Methods of Its Prevention. Youth Innovation Bulletin. 2022. 11 (S1): 97–100.
Shatnyuk L.N., Vrzhesinskaya O.A., Kodentsova V.M., Matveeva A.E. Prospects for increasing the vitamin value of food concentrates – bouillon cubes. Food Processing: Techniques and Technology. 2020; 50(2): 296–305. (In Russian); https://doi.org/10.21603/2074-9414-2020-2-296-305.
Brough L., Skeaff S. Iodine. Advances in Nutrition. 2024; 15(2): 100168; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100168.
FIGO Committee Report. Good clinical practice advice: Micronutrients in the periconceptional period and pregnancy. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. 2019; 144: 317–321; https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12739.
Keats E.C., Neufeld L.M., Garrett G.S., Mbuya M.N., Bhutta Z.A. Improved micronutrient status and health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries following large-scale fortification: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2019; 109(6): 1696–1708; https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz023.
Manousou S., Johansson B., Chmielewska A., Eriksson J., Gutefeldt K., Tornhage C.-J., Eggertsen R., Malmgren H., Hulthen L., Domellöf M., Nystrom Filipsson H. Role of iodine-containing multivitamins during pregnancy for children’s brain function: protocol of an ongoing randomised controlled trial: the SWIDDICH study. BMJ Open. 2018; 8(4): e019945; https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019945.
Sorrenti S., Baldini E., Pironi D., Lauro A., D'Orazi V., Tartaglia F., Tripodi D., Lori E., Gagliardi F., Praticò M., Illuminati G., D'Andrea V., Palumbo P., Ulisse S. Iodine: Its Role in Thyroid Hormone Biosynthesis and Beyond. Nutrients. 2021; 13(12): 4469; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124469.
Information about the authors:
D.V. Risnik – Ph.D. (Biol.), Faculty of Biology
ORCID: 0000-0002-3389-8115; SPIN: 4631-2230
V.M. Kodentsova – Dr.Sc. (Biol.), Professor, Chief Research Scientist of the Laboratory of Vitamins and Minerals
E-mail: kodentsova@ion.ru; ORCID: 0000-0002-5288-1132; SPIN: 8470-1211
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no obvious and potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.
