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Surgery on Children

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Original Article
Iodine nutrition, bamboo shoot consumption, thiocyanate exposure, thyroid function, weight and height, and associations among them in the tribal children of Tripura, North-east India
Abstract
Aims: To evaluate the status of iodine consumption (IC) and bamboo shoot consumption (BSC) and their impacts on Tripura’s iodized salt-consuming tribal population, this study aimed at assessing iodine nutrition, BSC, thiocyanate exposure, thyroid function, weight and height, and associations among them in Tripura’s tribal children.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 127 children aged 6-12 years from Deorachhara, Unakoti and Naithangchhara. The study assessed thyroid volume (TV), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin, thyroglobulin antibody (Tg-Ab), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab), urinary iodine (UI), urinary thiocyanate (USCN), salt iodine, water iodine, weight, height and BSC.
Results: The medians of BSC (grams/person/day), WI (µg/L), UI (µg/L), FT4 (pmol/L) and FT3 (pmol/L) were 83.3, 1.1, 103, 22.1 and 5.01 in Deorachhara; 119.0, 5.0, 100.0, 17.0 and 4.22 in Naithangchhara; and 166.7, 4.5, 143.0, 19.7 and 5.87 in Unakoti, respectively. Unakoti showed significantly higher thyrotropin and FT3 levels, and significantly lower FT4 level, weight, and height compared to Deorachhara. There were significant positive correlations between Tg-Ab and TPO-Ab in Unakoti and Naithangchhara, and USCN and TPO-Ab in boys. Deorachhara showed a significant negative correlation between TV and Tg-Ab. Naithangchhara showed significantly lower thyrotropin, FT4, and FT3 levels, and a significantly higher Tg-Ab level compared to Unakoti. Unakoti showed the highest underweight and thinness prevalence, whereas Naithangchhara showed the highest stunting prevalence.
Conclusion: Children with lower normal median free thyroid hormone levels showed a higher undernutrition prevalence and risks of autoimmune thyroid diseases, probably due to higher BSC and lower adequate IC.

Keywords : Thyroid gland, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, thyrotropin, autoantibodies, nutritional status

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Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Institutional Human Ethical Committee, Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India (Date: 03.10.2013, Decision No:IHEC/PHY/CU/H-P 34/13).

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from a parent or legal guardian. Where appropriate, age-adjusted assent was also obtained from the child. The inclusion of vulnerable populations in this study adhered to national and international ethical guidelines. Extra care was taken to ensure voluntary participation, understanding, and protection of participant dignity and autonomy.

Author Contributions

Concept: AKC; Design: IR, AKC; Control: AKC; Resources: IR; Materials: IR, AD; Data Collection and/or Processing: IR, AD; Analysis and/or Interpretation: IR, AKC, SKD, SKM; Literature Review: IR, AKC, SKD, SKM; Writing the Article: IR; Critical Review: AKC; Final Approval: IR, AKC, SKD, SKM, AD, LHS; Accountability: IR, AKC, SKD, SKM, AD, LHS.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Financial Disclosure

This study was funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science Technology, Government of India, New Delhi under North Eastern Region (NER) Twinning Project MAP-240/2013 (Sanction Number BT/471/ NE/TBP/2013, dated 26th December, 2014). Author Ajoy Datta received fellowship from DBT, Government of India.


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Article available in :
Volume 3, Issue 4, 2026
Page : 139-148
https://doi.org/10.51271/SOC-0087
Article Information
Received : 11 Eyl 2026
Accepted : 11 Eki 2026
Published : 20 Eki 2026
Corresponding Author :

Indrajit Ray: Department of Human Physiology, Ramkrishna Mahavidyalaya (Affiliated to Tripura University), Tripura, India

[email protected]
Citation : Ray I, Chandra AK, Debbarma SK, Mookerjee SK, Datta A, Singh LH. Iodine nutrition, bamboo shoot consumption, thiocyanate exposure, thyroid function, weight and height, and associations among them in the tribal children of Tripura, Northeast India. Surg Child. 2026;3(4):139-148. doi:10.51271/SOC-0087

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