World Health Organization strategy and social factors in the prevention of common non-communicable diseases caused by population nutrition

The level and quality of life of a modern person are closely related to the state of health influenced by environmental risks and eating behavior, physical activity, and lifestyle of a person. The so-called noncommunicable diseases directly related to people’s eating habits are considered to be a special group of diseases. Cardiovascular diseases and iodine deficiency disorders are the most well-known and common noncommunicable diseases. Iodine deficiency disorders have no symptoms. However, despite the fact that it is easy to prevent them, they have severe consequences and a great negative effect on intelligence and reproductive sphere. Iodized salt, a traditional part of a diet, is a preventive measure in international practice. At the same time, the excessive consumption of sodium (salt) leads to cardiovascular diseases that are a major cause of death in the world. The study discusses the strategy and recommendations of the World Health Organization to use iodized salt to prevent iodine deficiency, reviews its effect on cardiovascular diseases and the aspects of its use. The author presents a fragment of the results of a sociological study on the characteristics of population nutrition and social factors in the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders conducted in 2013 and 2017. The sample included 5th-11th grade students of Tyumen region (n=744) and their parents (n=677).