PIA Press Release
Sunday, January 22, 2012 NNC advocates goiter awarenessTUGUEGARAO CITY, Jan. 22 (PIA) -- The National Nutrition Council (NNC) region 2 conducted fora to create awareness on goiter and Iodine deficiency disorders, in conjunction with the 6th “Goiter Awareness Week” on January 22-28, 2012 with the theme "Goiter ay Iwasan, Panitilihin ang Kalusugan." Rhodora Maestre, nutrition program coordinator, said iodine deficiency disorders which resulted to a high percentage of individuals who have goiter, was one of the problems identified in the region in the previous years. However, due to the interventions of different agencies, including the strict implementation of the ASIN law, the problem was solved. Maestre said the region should always be vigilant and monitor constantly goiter cases in different parts of the region to address the problem or at least decrease the trend. Aside from the fora, NNC has also tapped media practitioners who are members of the ‘Balay ni Ifan Task Force on good nutrition promotion,' to help monitor and advocate the implementation of the ASIN law which was very effective tool in eradicating goiter cases in the region. A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. A goiter can occur for no known reason, or when the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body's needs. The thyroid gland makes up for this by becoming larger. Maestre said people with goiter have not enough iodine in their diet, which is needed to produce thyroid hormone.(TCB/OTB/PIA-2) |
