Introduction
Iodine deficiency disorder, IDD
IODINE DEFICIENCY DISORDER
Iodine is an essential micronutrient, primarily obtained from the diet, indispensable to thyroid hormone production and key for the metabolism regulation of mammals [Iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) is still an ongoing worldwide recognized problem, with over two billion individuals having inadequate iodine intake [In Portugal, studies reported that the median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is generally adequate in school-aged children [Since about 90% of ingested iodine is excreted in the urine, the median UIC is recognized as a good biomarker of short-term iodine status in groups [The main sources of iodine in the human diet are marine foodstuffs—fish, shellfish, algae and sea salt. Water, milk, vegetables and processed foods, such as bread and margarine, are also potential iodine sources [Universal salt iodization is preconized by the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Iodine Global Network (IGN) as a safe, cost-effective and sustainable way to tackle IDD [Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the iodine nutritional status of the public University of Porto staff, as a proxy for the Portuguese adult working population. Additionally, it was intended to demonstrate the potential of occupational health appointments in the education and monitoring of the iodine subject.