PAGADIAN CITY: A long stretch of coastlines teeming with iodine-rich foods has outlined the landscape of Zamboanga Peninsula but the region is now battling the problem of iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) that is affecting a number of schoolchildren aged 6-12 years old. Nutritionist Evelyn Capistrano of the Department of Health-Region 9 (DOH-9) told the members of the press here in a media forum recently that the results of the 2013 IDD survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute had revealed the Zamboanga Peninsula is the only region in the country with IDD problem, registering a prevalence of 41.1 percent for 6-12 years old schoolchildren. Among the three provinces in the region, Zamboanga del Norte has the highest IDD prevalence of 55.5 percent, followed by Zamboanga Sibugay with 40.7 percent and Zamboanga del Sur with 31.2 percent. Isabela City of Basilan province, which remains part of region 9, has an IDD prevalence of 45 percent.

PIA