Poland was among the first countries in Eastern Europe to achieve iodine sufficiency and a study just published in Thyroid Research Journal confirms that the 1997 program of mandated use of iodized salt has sustained those gains.

The study by Arkadiusz Zygmunt et al examined schoolchildren in a single tow, Opoczno, comparing results from 1994, 1999 and 2012. Goiter was reduced from 92.6% in 1994 to 18.5% in 1999 and 15.8% in 2012. Thus, the authors conclude, "iodine prophylaxis has proved to be effective in eliminating the iodine deficiency.

"The iodine intake is now more even, homogenous, which translates into smaller scatter of UICs and less percentage of children, in whom UIC is less than 50 mug/L. However, the iodine intake only slightly exceeds the recommended values, so median of UICs oscillates around the lower limit of references values."