Limited Access to Iodized Salt Among the Poor and Disadvantaged in North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal, India (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Iodine-deficiency disorders (IDDs) are a global problem, affecting the people of 130 of 191 member countries of the World Health Organization (1). It is one of the most common preventable causes of mental retardation globally (2). The most visible manifestation of IDD--goitre--is seen in 13% of the world's population. An estimated 167 million people in India are at risk of IDDs. Of these, 54 million suffer from goitre, two million suffer from cretinism, and 6.6 million children have neurological deficits (3). In a recent study, North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, located in eastern part of India, was found to be iodine-deficient (4). The district has a mix of urban and rural population and also of different religions. It is a flood-prone area and located at the Gangetic basin bordering the Bay of Bengal (5).