Association of inadequately iodized salt use with underweight among young children in India.

This article explores the association between use of inadequately iodized cooking salt and underweight among young children in India. Considerable variation was found in the use of non-iodized salt (0 parts per million) across regions, economic status, and social groups. Results show that economic status and social affiliation of the households were the important predictors of non-iodized salt usage. Moreover, results from the multinomial logit model show that use of inadequately iodized salt is significantly associated with lower weight-for-age Z score, after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Nonuse of adequately iodized (15+ parts per million) salt is statistically associated with moderate underweight (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-1.11) and with severe underweight (RRR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.15-1.21). Concerted effort is needed to correct the inequity in the access to iodized salt to improve the nutritional status of children in India.