Conclusions
IODINE DEFICIENCY, DISEASES
To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study reporting on the iodine status in Portuguese working adults, using gold standard methodology. The results revealed a moderate iodine deficiency, with higher expression in women. Dairy was described as the major iodine source in the diet. Although the discretionary salt accounted for almost half of the iodine intake, the unfortified household marine salt failed to provide the required daily intake. Taking into consideration the present iodine status of the country, and the WHO major priority in salt reduction to tackle non-communicable diseases, it is pivotal to design public health strategies and monitoring programs to ensure iodine adequacy in all population groups. In this setting, the mandatory occupational health appointments that this study took advantage of have proven to be an asset for future monitoring programs and in education toward the use of iodized salt.