Abstract:

Background: Nutritional status of school-age children is influenced by several factors, e.g., nutrition intake, hormone, and underlying disease. Mercury, as a pollutant from artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM), inhibits thyroxin production-metabolism regulating hormone. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of iodine status and nutritional intake on nutritional status of school-age children in ASGM area. Methods: Study design was cross sectional. There were two groups; case group was school-age children exposed by mercury from ASGM area from Sekotong subdistrict, and control group was school-age children in Narmada subdistrict. Sixty two children from ASGM were enrolled, and fifty two children from the Narmada subdistrict. Iodine status was assessed by measured urine iodine excretion using acid digestion method; nutrition intake assessed by using recall 24 hours; nutritional status by measured anthropometry. Correlation between nutritional and iodine status was examined by using Spearman’ test. Results: Nutritional status of case group found 45.1 % were stunted and 27.4 % were underweight. Control group found 13.4 %  stunted and 9.6 % underweight. Iodine status of case group: 3.9 %  deficient and 68.6 % at risk of iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, the control group was found that 3.8 % inadequate and 72.8 % at risk of iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. Iodine intake both groups were under RDA value that of the case group was 8.3 µg/day, and the control group was 11.5 µg/day. All nutrition supporting growth did not meet the RDA value.  Spearman’s test result was p=0.56. Conclusion: Iodine status did not correlate with the nutritional status of children in ASGM area.

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