Table 2.
Cross-sectional comparison of iodine intake and selected blood markers between omnivore, vegetarian and vegan children aged 0–18 years.
| Parameter | Control OM (n) | Min | Max | Mean (±SD) | Median | IQR | Diet (n) | Min | Max | Mean (±SD) | Median | IQR | p* | Adj. p** | Effect size CI 95% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iodine intake | |||||||||||||||
| MDI (µg/day) | 42 | 0.40 | 202.10 | 56.58 (±38.34) | 57.05 | 26.18–75.83 | VG (89) | 0.00 | 625.50 | 59.59 (±82.18) | 40.80 | 26.30–70.20 | 0.24 | 0.49 | 0.26 (0.18–0.33) |
| VN (72) | 0.00 | 210.00 | 33.86 (±39.77) | 11.80 | 0.70–65.12 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.31 (0.23–0.40) | |||||||
| Dose of supplement (µg/day) | 52 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 (±0.00) | 0.00 | 0.00–0.00 | VG (92) | 00.00 | 200.00 | 16.83 (±41.82) | 0.00 | 0.00–0.00 | <0.001 | 0.005 | 0.10 (0.13–0.46) |
| VN (78) | 0.00 | 200.00 | 26.54 (±55.95) | 0.00 | 0.00–0.00 | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.31 (0.23–0.40) | |||||||
| Markers of iodine status | |||||||||||||||
| TSH [mUI/l] | 51 | 0.77 | 6.70 | 2.62 (±1.42) | 2.13 | 1.60–3.10 | VG (89) | 0.84 | 5.74 | 2.48 (±1.01) | 2.28 | 1.76–3.16 | 0.91 | 1.00 | 0.01 (0.00–0.21) |
| VN (74) | 0.67 | 6.40 | 2.49 (±1.28) | 2.20 | 1.58–3.04 | 0.72 | 1.00 | 0.03 (0.00–0.21) | |||||||
| fT4 [pmol/l] | 51 | 11.21 | 18.16 | 14.99 (±1.74) | 15.21 | 13.68–16.44 | VG (89) | 11.23 | 21.75 | 15.53 (±2.15) | 15.46 | 14.12–16.68 | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.10 (0.01–0.25) |
| VN (74) | 11.69 | 21.94 | 16.18 (±1.83) | 15.96 | 15.22–17.10 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.28 (0.10–0.45) | |||||||
| fT3 [pmol/l] | 51 | 4.92 | 8.53 | 6.97 (±0.79) | 6.92 | 6.51–7.45 | VG (89) | 4.09 | 16.16 | 7.22 (±1.34) | 7.16 | 6.55–7.65 | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.09 (0.00–0.26) |
| VN (73) | 3.42 | 9.49 | 7.17 (±1.00) | 7.24 | 6.70–7.83 | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.16 (0.02–0.32) | |||||||
| TG [µg/l] | 51 | 5.64 | 87.58 | 27.47 (±18.32) | 22.18 | 13.86–40.54 | VG (84) | 0.39 | 104.7 | 20.15 (±20.66) | 24.66 | 16.41–39.76 | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.06 (0.00–0.24) |
| VN (58) | 1.99 | 345.50 | 35.33 (±44.50) | 27.64 | 20.07–41.16 | 0.16 | 0.32 | 0.13 (0.01–0.34) | |||||||
| UIC [µg/l] | 51 | 40.80 | 494.00 | 197.28 (±105.35) | 180.00 | 118.50–253.50 | VG (89) | 15.70 | 787.00 | 177.95 (±155.88) | 134.0 | 79.50–211.50 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.18 (0.04–0.33) |
| VN (74) | 5.99 | 991.80 | 162.97 (±164.51) | 122.00 | 68.55–183.0 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.26 (0.09–0.42) | |||||||
Values of blood markers were log transformed and adjustment was made for sex and age.
MDI mean daily intake, TSH thyroid-stimulating hormone, fT4 free thyroxine, fT3 free triiodothyronine, TG thyroglobulin, UIC spot urine iodine, OM omnivore, VG vegetarian, VN vegan, n number of subjects, IQR interquartile range, SD standard deviation, CI confidential interval.
*p value calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; ** adjusted p value calculated using linear regression.