On My Soapbox!

I have been known, from time to time, to have a rant about an issue. Recently I wrote to the paper after reading again about the poor iodine levels in Australian children. Tasmania, in particular, has had a long history of poor iodine levels in our children, with problems due to this deficiency including learning delays, stunted growth, and poor reflexes - to name a few! Iodine levels can easily be increased simply by using iodised salt in our everyday life, and including it in products we consume daily like bread. Some bakeries have taken this on - Cripps in Launceston have been using iodised salt for many years, but it's not enough. I suggested that the big fast food chains McDonald's, Hungry Jacks, KFC and Subway use iodised salt routinely. I figure that if our kids are going to eat takeaway food -and lets face it most of them regularly do- then let them at least be getting the benefit of iodised salt. Unfortunately, after contacting all the above fast food outlets NONE of them use iodised salt. There's a good chance that in the future they will have to, but none are willing to be proactive and start now. Anyway, with the encouragement of Professor Creswell Eastman, Vice Chairman of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), I am going to keep contacting these fast food giants and push for the use of iodised salt and salt products BEFORE it becomes mandatory. Until then, what can we do at home? Make sure that any table and cooking salt you use is iodised, and give our kids the best possible start! For more info. on this just click on this link: http://www.iccidd.org/pages/who-can-prevent-idd/parents-concerned-citizens.php or Google iodine deficiency, in particular ICCIDD, and Professor Creswell Eastman, and decide for yourselves.