from Mary J. Shomon

October, 2002 -- Even in an area where mild iodine deficiency is common, there is a definite relationship between iodine intake and the size of the thyroid.

Danish researchers attempted to identify groups that may be at risk of thyroid disease due to food choices. The study looked at 4649 people who were mildly to moderately deficient in iodine.

The researchers found that there was a definite inverse relationship between the size of the thyroid and the excretion of iodine in the urine. This finding indicates there may be a link between reduced iodine in the diet and a greater likelihood that the thyroid will be enlarged (a sign of possible thyroid disease).

There was also a direct inverse relationship between thyroid volume and iodine intake from diet plus supplements, iodine intake from diet/kg body wt, and milk intake. Subgroups with low intakes of milk and milk products, therefore, had an increased risk of thyroid disease.

Source: "Relations between various measures of iodine intake and thyroid volume, thyroid nodularity, and serum thyroglobulin," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 76, No. 5, 1069-1076, November 2002