Elements: Iodine

Why does iodine deficiency still blight children in developing countries like India?

Justin Rowlatt travels to Dehradun in the Himalayas with world expert Chandrakant Pandav to diagnose schoolchildren still suffering from the throat swelling called goitre, and from the permanent mental retardation known as cretinism.

Justin challenges Indian government officials to explain why, 50 years after India first introduced its salt iodisation programme, this easily solvable problem still persists.

(Picture: Woman with large goitre; Credit: Dr P Marazzi/Science Photo Library)