We lack knowledge about iodine status in the Norwegian population in general, and particularly among immigrants. We aimed to estimate the iodine status and potentially associated factors in a Somali population in Norway. Somali men and women aged 20–73, who were living in one district in Oslo, were recruited between December 2015 and October 2016. Twenty-four-hour urine was collected from 169 participants (91 females and 78 males). Iodine was analysed using the Sandell–Kolthoff reaction on microplates and colorimetric measurement. Information about diet was collected using a short food frequency questionnaire. Iodine intake was calculated from the 24-h iodine excretion. The mean urine volume over 24-h was 1.93 liters (min–max: 0.55–4.0) and the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) varied from 13 to 263 µg/L with a median value of 62.5 µg/L indicating a population with mild iodine deficiency. The median daily iodine intake for the study population was estimated to be 124 µg/day. Mean serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) was 2.1 (SD 1.1) mU/L, 15.0 (SD 2.1) pmol/L, and 5.1 (SD 0.6) pmol/L, respectively. No food groups were associated with iodine intake and neither was gender, age, education level nor length of residence in Norway. In conclusion, this study showed that iodine intake was low, and a considerable proportion of the Somali population studied had sub-optimal iodine status. Monitoring of iodine status should be prioritised and measures to ensure adequate iodine intake, particularly among vulnerable groups initiated. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Somali immigrants Urinary iodine excretion Dietary determinants Iodine 24-h urine collection

blood sampling immigrant lifestyle Norway human epidemiology middle aged Biomarkers liothyronine Aged feeding behavior thyrotropin Nutrition Assessment iodine deficiency thyroxine length of stay urinary excretion nutritional assessment ethnology urine volume chemoluminescence deficiency Renal Elimination iodine milk Cross-Sectional Studies food frequency questionnaire Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant Humans Black person African Continental Ancestry Group male Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor Article nutritional deficiency Deficiency Diseases adult migration biological marker Somalia Emigration and Immigration Recommended Dietary Allowances Urinalysis dietary reference intake nutritional status dietary intake urine