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Dietary recalls have been used previously to identify food sources of iodine in Australian schoolchildren. Dietary assessment can provide information on the relative contributions of individual food groups which can be related to a robust objective measure of daily intake (24-h urinary iodine excretion (UIE)). In Australia, the government has mandated the use of iodised salt in breadmaking to address iodine deficiency. The aim of this study was to determine the dietary intake and food sources of iodine to assess their contribution to iodine excretion (UIE) in a sample of Australian schoolchildren. In 2011–2013, UIE was assessed using a single 24-h urine sample and dietary intake was assessed using one 24-h dietary recall in a convenience sample of primary schoolchildren from schools in Victoria, Australia. Of the 454 children with a valid recall and urine sample, 55 % were male (average age 10·1 (1·3 (sd) years). Mean UIE and dietary iodine intake were 108 (sd 54) and 172 (sd 74) μg/d, respectively. Dietary assessment indicated that bread and milk were the main food sources of iodine, contributing 27 and 25 %, respectively, to dietary iodine. Milk but not bread intake was positively associated with UIE. Multiple regression (adjusted for school cluster, age and sex) indicated that for every 100 g increase in milk consumption, there was a 3 μg/d increase in UIE (β = 4·0 (se 0·9), P < 0·001). In conclusion, both bread and milk were important contributors to dietary iodine intake; however, consumption of bread was not associated with daily iodine excretion in this group of Australian schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To examine sodium and potassium urinary excretion by socioeconomic status (SES), discretionary salt use habits and dietary sources of sodium and potassium in a sample of Australian schoolchildren. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Primary schools located in Victoria, Australia. Participants 666 of 780 children aged 4-12 years who participated in the Salt and Other Nutrients in Children study returned a complete 24-hour urine collection. Primary and secondary outcome measures 24-hour urine collection for the measurement of sodium and potassium excretion and 24-hour dietary recall for the assessment of food sources. Parent and child reported use of discretionary salt. SES defined by parental highest level of education. Results Participants were 9.3 years (95% CI 9.0 to 9.6) of age and 55% were boys. Mean urinary sodium and potassium excretion was 103 (95% CI 99 to 108) mmol/day (salt equivalent 6.1 g/day) and 47 (95% CI 45 to 49) mmol/day, respectively. Mean molar Na:K ratio was 2.4 (95% CI 2.3 to 2.5). 72% of children exceeded the agespecific upper level for sodium intake. After adjustment for age, sex and day of urine collection, children from a low socioeconomic background excreted 10.0 (95% CI 17.8 to 2.1) mmol/day more sodium than those of high socioeconomic background (p=0.04). The major sources of sodium were bread (14.8%), mixed cereal-based dishes (9.9%) and processed meat (8.5%). The major sources of potassium were dairy milk (11.5%), potatoes (7.1%) and fruit/vegetable juice (5.4%). Core foods provided 55.3% of dietary sodium and 75.5% of potassium while discretionary foods provided 44.7% and 24.5%, respectively. Conclusions For most children, sodium intake exceeds dietary recommendations and there is some indication that children of lower socioeconomic background have the highest intakes. Children are consuming about two times more sodium than potassium. To improve sodium and potassium intakes in schoolchildren, product reformulation of lower salt core foods combined with strategies that seek to reduce the consumption of discretionary foods are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]