BREAKING DOWN GOITER: DEMOGRAPHIC AND DIETARY INSIGHTS

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to identify the demographic, nutritional, and biochemical risk variables linked to the development of goiter in the plains of Sindh province.

Methodology: This case-control research was conducted at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, from July 2009 to December 2009. A total of 200 participants (100 patients with goiter and 100 age- and gender-matched control individuals) were recruited for the current research. The demographic attributes and dietary history of goiter patients and control participants were examined using a standardized questionnaire designed for this purpose. Serum samples from goiter patients and control people were examined for iodine, TSH, FT3, and FT4 levels, while urine samples were assessed for iodine content.

Result: Among the 100 goiter patients, 87 were female and 13 were male. The majority (53%) of the research participants were young people aged 20 to 39 years. Odds Ratio analysis of the dietary data indicated a strong positive correlation between the intake of cabbage and pickles in mustard oil containing mustard seeds and the incidence of goiter. The intake of fish, eggs, dairy products, poultry, meat, and peas had a substantial negative correlation with goiter. In goiter patients, blood and urine iodine levels were considerably lower (P<0.001) than in control participants, whereas serum TSH and FT4 levels were elevated. All goiter patients had iodine deficits, with 33 percent experiencing mild deficiency and 77 percent having a substantial deficiency.

Conclusion: The consumption of groundwater, cabbage, and pickles in mustard oil containing mustard seeds, together with a low intake of animal protein, is linked to mild to severe iodine deficiency among the residents of the plains in Sindh province.