Iodine-containing food practices of Western Australian pregnant women and ethnicity: An observational study

Aims: The Australian Health Survey 2011 to 2013 indicated that Western Australian women had good iodine status, suggesting adequate consumption of iodine from food, however, little is known about pregnant women in this state. The aim was to investigate the iodine-containing food practices of Western Australian pregnant women. Methods: Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at a public tertiary hospital in Perth, Western Australia, were invited to complete a questionnaire investigating consumption of key iodine food sources and knowledge of iodine-containing foods. Food frequency data were entered into FoodWorks based on the Australian Food and Nutrition Database 2007. Results: A total of 425 women took part in the study with a mean (SD) age of 29.4 (5.5) years. Sixty percent of women reported consuming bread at least daily. Only 37.6% of women used iodised salt, but the median (25, 75 percentile) iodine intake of these women was 183 (142, 267) μg/day compared to 148 (100, 228) μg/day of iodine from food only. Ethnicity was associated with iodised salt use: 76% of Asian women compared with 33% of Caucasian women. Three quarters of the women did not know if any foods are required to be fortified with iodine. Conclusion: The iodine-containing food practices of pregnant women in this state suggest a risk of insufficiency. The present study is limited by the use of a semi-quantitative and non-validated food frequency questionnaire, thus assessment of the iodine intake and status of pregnant women representative of the ethnic mix of Western Australia is recommended.