India’s Universal Salt Iodization program had larger effects on cognitive skills for children near the major salt-producing state than for those further away, consistent with heterogeneous geochemical exposure.
Evidence
The effect of Universal Salt Iodization on cognitive test scores in rural India (ScienceDirect)
Categorization
- corroborated: 5 independent passages support this claim
- XREF: connects to: Iodizing salt in 1924 closed a 15-point IQ gap cheaply; A randomized trial in Ethiopia found iodized salt raised children’s cognitive scores by only about 4 IQ points (effect size d=0.17), far below a full standard deviation. — Pre‐pregnancy iodized salt improved children’s cognitive development in randomized trial in Ethiopia; Morton Salt began nationwide iodized salt distribution in 1924; access to iodine, a key determinant of cognitive ability, rose sharply. — The Long-run Economic Impacts of Salt Iodization in the United States
Related
- India’s Universal Salt Iodization program had larger effects on cognitive skills for children near the major salt-producing state than for those further away, consistent with heterogeneous geochemical exposure. (similarity 0.95)
- Morton Salt began nationwide iodized salt distribution in 1924; access to iodine, a key determinant of cognitive ability, rose sharply. (similarity 0.90)
- A randomized trial in Ethiopia found iodized salt raised children’s cognitive scores by only about 4 IQ points (effect size d=0.17), far below a full standard deviation. (similarity 0.86)
- Adding iodine to salt beginning in 1924 increased IQ in America by as much as 15 points and boosted the U.S. economy. (similarity 0.85)
- Results are consistent with iodization raising IQ by 15 points in iodine-deficient areas and a nationwide average increase of ~3.5 IQ points. (similarity 0.83)
- Salt iodization beginning in 1924 raised IQ by approximately one standard deviation (15 points) for the quarter of the population most deficient in iodine. (similarity 0.82)
- Morton Salt began nationwide distribution of iodized salt in 1924, raising IQ in previously iodine-deficient areas and improving economic outcomes. (similarity 0.82)
- In low-iodine counties, the probability of assignment to the Air Forces rose significantly after the introduction of iodized salt. (similarity 0.81)
- Introduction of iodized salt increased IQ by approximately 15 points for those most deficient in iodine. (similarity 0.81)
- Salt iodization raised IQ scores of millions of people by 15 IQ points in iodine-deficient regions and is highly cost-effective at pennies per person per year. (similarity 0.81)
- A 2013 study found a gradual increase in average intelligence of 1 standard deviation, 15 points in iodine-deficient areas and 3.5 points nationally after the introduction of iodised salt. (similarity 0.81)
- Americans gained up to 15 IQ points after iodized salt became mandatory in 1924. (similarity 0.80)
- A 2017 study found that the introduction of iodized salt in 1924 raised IQ for the one-quarter of the population most deficient in iodine. (similarity 0.80)
- Iodine played a substantial role in cognitive improvements across the American population in the 20th century. (similarity 0.79)
- We find that for the one quarter of the population most deficient in iodine this intervention raised IQ by approximately one standard deviation. (similarity 0.79)