Q. What is a goiter? What is endemic goiter? How this problem is socially solved?
Goiter is the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland the goiter appears as a tumor in the anterior neck and it may be sometimes not visible or visible but palpable. Goiter can occur in hyperthyroidism or in hypothyroidism.
Endemic goiter is the goiter caused by deficient iodine ingestion that is the deficiency of iodine in the diet. The endemic character of the disease is explained because the iodine content of the diet is often a cultural or social condition affecting many people of some geographical regions. The hypothyroidism caused by the deficient iodine ingestion is generally frequent in regions far from the sea coast since sea food is rich in iodine.
Nowadays the problem is habitually solved by obligatory addition of iodine in table salt. As table salt is a extensively used condiment the supply of iodine in diet is almost assured by this method.