Nutrition Intervention Strategies in Chronically Malnourished Regions: Preventing Endemic Goitre in Togo

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) are an important problem in the world. Some 760 million people suffer from goitre and 1600 million are at risk. In Togo, a small West African country, the prevalence of visible goitre in 6-12-year-old children was 21.6% and 5.3% in two endemic regions in 1999. Goitre is considered endemic as it affects one adult in five. UNICEF-Togo (United Nations Children's Fund) in co-operation with the Togolese government has implemented different programmes with the aim of improving the survival and development of children and women and to defend and promote children's rights. The aim of this paper is to describe the procedures followed and key results of a school-based nutrition education project implemented in Togo to prevent iodine deficiency disorders, by encouraging use of iodised salt.