Study on nutritional status of iodine and physical fitness in children with learning disorders in Guangzhou

Objective To investigate the nutritional status of iodine and physical fitness in children with learning disabilities in Guangzhou.Methods The urinary iodine was measured with color imetic ceric-arsenic assay.Children with learning disabilities were screened with PRS(The Pupil Rating Scale Revised-Scr eening for LD)and school report,and their intelligence was examined with Combined Raven's Test.Height,weight and armcir cumference and skinfold thickness were measured.Results The median of urinary iodine in children with learning disabilities and contr ol group was 216.6 Lg/L and 247.9 Lg/L respectively.The median of urinary iodine showed no significant difference between them(Z=-1.37,P>0.05).The ratio of children with urinary iodine<100 Lg/L was 22.8% and 3.7% in control group respectively,significant difference was seen(χ²=8.65,P<0.01).Intelligence in LD group is lower than that in the control group(t=8.26,P<0.01).The physical measurement showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).There were obvious difference between the two groups in Rohrer index(χ²=7.88,P<0.05).T he ratio of obese children in LD group was more than that of the contro l(17.5% vs 5.6%).Contrast to the LD group,the control group had more emaciated children(33.3%).Conclusion Most of the children with learning disabilities in Guangzhou have good nutritional status of iodine,but they have lower urinary iodine than the control group.I ntelligence of LD group is lower than that of the control group.The relations between iodine deficiency and learning disabilities need further research.The ratio of obese children in LD group is more than that of the control.