[Critique of goiter epidemiology. II. Age dependence].

Chest radiographs (n = 2000) of the public health office of Eutin were evaluated for the frequency of goitre in northern West-Germany. Up to the 40th year of age the frequency was 5%. Thereafter the prevalence of goitre-suspect radiographs gradually rose to 25% and to 50% after the 65th year of life. The radiographic method indicates that endemic goitre exists in Schleswig-Holstein as was to be expected due to formerly demonstrated alimentary iodine deficiency.